Vizag port see 5% rise in cargo handling

During the first quarter, the port has handled 15.33 mn tonne of cargo

Visakhapatnam Port posted a growth of 5 per cent in cargo handling during the April-July period of the current financial year as compared with the corresponding period last year. During the first four months, the port handled 20.64 million tonnes of cargo as against 19.72 million tonnes last year. It handled 3.94 million tonne iron ore and iron ore pellets — the highest iron ore traffic handled among all major ports in the country, said M T Krishna Babu, chairman, Vizag port.

The port had spent Rs 261 crore as capital expenditure for capacity expansion. With this, it has added a capacity of   20.43 million tonnes and as on today, its capacity stands at about 88 million tonnes, he added.

Two public-private partnership (PPP) projects — development of WQ-6 and EQ-10 — are expected to be operational by October and another PPP project EQ-1A, which entails an investment of Rs 313.39 crore, will be ready by March 2015, according to him.

Besides, installation of mechanised fertiliser handling facilities at EQ-7 berth in the inner harbour at an estimated cost of Rs 218 crore was likely to take off soon. He also said concession would be awarded soon for upgradation of iron ore handling facilities at outer harbour and a concession agreement on  ‘extension of existing container terminal’ would be signed soon. These would see an investment of Rs 1,479 crore.