The Hindu Business Line : Paradip port eyes record rail-borne traffic

THE Paradip Port Trust (PPT) hopes to achieve a significant jump in rail-borne traffic in the current fiscal — an estimated 22 million tonnes compared with 17.9 mt in 2004-05.

Till November, the throughput was 14.5 mt, including 2.1 mt in November alone.

This will be possible, as PPT sources explain, because of two factors, namely, good support from the Railways in the allotment of rakes and rationalisation of operations within the port, thanks to careful planning. In November, PPT loaded 209 rakes, the highest ever, with the bulk comprising imported coal — coking coal for steel plants (121 rakes), non-coking power-grade coal for power houses (80) and coke (eight).

Of the coking coal rakes, 50 were for SAIL, 36 for Nilachal Ispat, 27 for Tata Steel and the rest for various other steel plants.

Of the power-grade coal rakes, 50 were for National Thermal Power Corporation, eight for National Aluminium Company and the rest for others.

At this rate, PPT hopes to handle four mt of imported coking coal — 1.5 mt for SAIL alone by March 2006, up from 1.2 mt in 2004-05, an estimated 1.2 mt for Nilachal Ispat, another seven lakh tonnes for Tata Steel, compared with 0.8 mt last year and the balance for others.

"The throughput on Tata Steel account has been lower so far this year as compared to the same period last year — 5.26 lakh tonnes till November as compared to 6.51 last year," said PPT source sources.

The throughput of the imported non-coking power-grade coal too is set for a steady increase.

Till November, the throughput was 2.37 mt (0.4 mt in 2004-05). At this rate, the current fiscal is estimated to end with a total volume of 3.5 mt. On NTPC account alone, the throughput is likely to be 1.5-2 mt. It has been close to a million tonnes so far.

But then the port also handles large quantities of power-grade coal for shipment to Tamil Nadu Electricity Board, Karnataka Power Corporation and Andhra Pradesh Electricity Board by the coastal route. In November, the port handled about 250 rakes, each carrying around 3,600 tonnes of power-grade coal, for coastal shipments.

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