Chennai Port Traffic Rises

Chennai port registered a marginal increase in traffic during April-August despite labour trouble.

Bulk traffic handled at the port during April-August increased by 2 per cent to 14.68 million tonnes from 14.41 million tonnes in the corresponding period last year, port officials said. During the five-month period, the port handled 1.23 lakh TEUs of container traffic, up 1.13 per cent from 1.21 lakh TEUs in the corresponding period last year.

This is, however, a sharp drop from the over 10 per cent growth the port has witnessed in recent years. Last year, the port handled 35.53 million tonnes of bulk traffic, registering a growth of 11.6 per cent. The port also handled 2.82 lakh TEUs of container traffic, clocking 14.1 per cent growth. Port officials conceded that labour trouble affected operations this year but added that efforts are on put the port back on the high-growth path.

"The port is limping back to normalcy after a strike by mooring crew was called of last week,'' a port spokesperson said. Earlier, a strike by the senior tug masters had crippled the port and forced shipping agents to impose a congestion levy of $100. The Confederation of Indian Industry (southern region) has even commissioned a study to suggest ways to decongest Chennai port and increase traffic.