Mundra Port records highest growth in state

The Mundra port, promoted by the Adani group and located at the Gulf of Kutch, has recorded the highest growth rate in handling of cargo among all the ports in Gujarat.

While the ports of Navlakhi and Okha showed a drop in the traffic handled in 2003-04, the Kandla, Bedi and Dahej ports did not grow at more than three per cent during the year.

In contrast, the Mundra port grew at 9.31 per cent. The port is now targeting a growth of around 30 per cent for the current fiscal year.

According to data available on the port-wise traffic report for 2003-04, the ports of Navlakhi and Okha showed a drop in the growth of traffic by over 20 per cent.

Traffic at the ports of Kandla, Bedi and Dahej did not grow at a rate of more than three per cent. Under such circumstances, Mundra port, which became operational just four years ago, grew at a steady pace, with traffic handled growing at 9.31 per cent in the year 2003-04 as compared to the previous year.

Sanjay Gupta, chief executive officer of Adani Infrastructure Ltd, said Mundra Port handled 4.85 million metric tonnes of cargo in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2004, but this does not include container traffic, as the container terminal was started just a few months ago.

"The 4.48 MMT cargo handled includes just bulk cargo and liquid cargo. It does not include the container traffic handled by the port, as the container terminal was inaugurated just recently," Gupta said.

Gupta said Mundra port has set a target of achieving 6.20 MMT of cargo this fiscal year, which adds up to a growth of about 20 per cent over the last year.

"However, at the pace at which the cargo handling capacities are being increased and with the container terminal fully functional, the growth rate of traffic at Mundra port could well be 30 per cent," he said.

He said, "The port has already established itself as a major hub for handling several import and export cargoes and is poised to become one of India's top five ports in the next five years."

Import cargoes like fertilisers, steel pipes and plates, edible oils, chemicals and petroleum products along with export cargoes like bauxite, bentonite, clinkers and salt contributed to the growth of Mundra port traffic during 2003-04, Gupta said.

Mundra port commenced operations four years ago and is poised to become one of India's top five ports because it is close to the northern and western hinterland, a statement said.

The statement said at the pace at which the port is growing, it will become a giant in the business, capable of overshadowing the performance of existing major ports of Mumbai, Kolkata, Tuticorin, Cochin, Paradip, New Mangalore and Murmugao by 2008-09, the release said.