Cargo traffic at non-major ports grew 4.8 pc to 447.21 MT in Apr-Dec

Cargo traffic at India's non-major ports jumped 4.8 per cent in April-December period of the current fiscal to 447.21 million tonnes (MT), a Shipping Ministry report has said.

These non-major ports had recorded a cargo traffic of 426.53 MT in the April-December period of 2018-19.

During the April-December 2019-20, Directorate of Ports at Odisha recorded highest growth in traffic at 64.2 per cent followed by Ports of Tamil Nadu Maritime Board (34.1 per cent), Directorate of Ports, Puducherry, 27.7 per cent) and Ports Management Board, Andaman & Nicobar Islands (25.4 per cent) against the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, as per the report.

Directorate of Ports, Karnataka, recorded a growth of 25 per cent while Gujarat Maritime Board recorded a growth of 4.1 per cent.

Negative growth was seen at Goa, Kerala Maritime Board, Maharashtra Maritime Board and Directorate of Ports, Andhra Pradesh (2.1 per cent).

However, when it came to handling cargo, Gujarat Maritime Board handled the maximum cargo of 304.99 MT with a share of 68.2 per cent followed by Directorate of ports, Andhra Pradesh (17 per cent), Maharashtra Maritime Board (6.8 per cent) and Directorate of Ports, Odisha (5.7 per cent), the report said.

It said Directorate of Ports, Puducherry, cargo share stood at 1.8 per cent, Andaman & Nicobar Islands at 0.3 per cent and Directorate of Ports, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu Maritime Board at 0.2 per cent each during April-December, 2019-20.

The report said Gujarat Maritime Board handled the maximum overseas Cargo of 269.99 MT with a share of 71.2 per cent followed by Directorate of Ports, Andhra Pradesh (16.5 per cent) and Directorate of Ports, Odisha (6.0 per cent).

As far as coastal cargo was concerned Gujarat Maritime Board handled 35 MT with a share of 51.6 per cent followed by Maharashtra Maritime Board (22 per cent).

Gujarat has a long coastline of about 1,600 km.