Paradip port traffic grows by 9.36% to 46.4 MT in FY'09

The global economic meltdown notwithstanding, the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) handled an all- time record traffic of 46.41 million tonnes during 2008-09, registering a growth of 9.36% over the previous fiscal.      

"Surpassing the previous record of 42.44 million tonnes of traffic handled during 2007-08, the port handled 46.41 million tonnes of traffic during the last financial year," PPT Chairman K Raghuramaiah told reporters here today.      

Paradip port has achieved the third place amongst major ports in terms of traffic growth during 2008-09, he said, adding a record 34.35 million tonnes of rail-borne traffic was handled by the port railway during the year, eclipsing the previous record of 30.80 million tonnes handled in 2007-08.     

A record quantity of 5.13 million tonnes of cargo was handled during the month of March this year, surpassing the previous record of 4.70 million tonnes handled during February, 2009, he said.      

On financial performance, the port chairman said there was a substantial improvement during 2008-09 when the port made an operating income of Rs 700.21 crore as against Rs 639.98 crore in 2007-08.