Kandla Port handles 41.52 mt cargo in '03-04

Kandla Port handled 41.52 million metric tonne cargo during the financial year 2003-04. It thus maintained its second position in cargo handling for the third year.

The port lost 10 million metric tonne traffic due to the commissioning of Petronet LNG pipelines. It, however, increased the handling of other commodities.

The port had an operating surplus of Rs 56.49 crore in 2003-04. It spent Rs 63.48 crore during the year on creating infrastructure facilities.

"The port has maintained its second position in handling of cargo. The port has 11 cargo jetties and six oil jetties. Dry cargo ships of 45000 to 65000 dead weight tonnage (DWT) can berth here round the year," said A K Joti, chairman, Kandla Port Trust (KPT).

At old Kandla oil jetty, oil tankers up to 40,000 to 45,000 metric tonne capacity can be berthed, while at Vadinar there are two single buoy moorings (SBMs) where very large crude carriers (VLCC) up to three lakh metric tonne DWT and 335 metres length can be berthed.

The port recorded an increase in handling of cereals, machinery and crude over the previous year. The port handled 1.7 lakh twenty equivalent units (TEUs) against 1.5 lakh TEUs handled last year.

The port has handled 62.8 lakh metric tonne of liquid cargo against 57.52 lakh metric tonne last year, registered a growth of nine per cent. The growth in handling liquid cargo has continued in spite of the commissioning of the Reliance refinery at Jamnagar.

The port has procured eight new wharf cranes of 8-25 metric tonne capacity at a cost of Rs 60 crore. These will be operative between April and October 2004.

After leasing the container terminal on BOT basis, the container handling will increase by six lakh TEUs. The container handling will be cheapest at the port of Kandla among all ports in the country.

The total size of the development schemes of the port is Rs 1500 crore and the port expects to handle 70 million metric tonne annually in the coming years.