The Hindu Business Line : Iron ore shipment through Paradip port back to normal

Despite improvement in ore shipments, port authorities apprehend that the total cargo throughput for Januarywill be lower by an estimated one lakh tonnes than that in the same month of 2005.

Kolkata , Jan. 30

IRON ore shipments through Paradip port is limping back to normal.

The port currently receives on an average 1700/1800 iron ore trucks and four rakes every a day - slightly lower than the normal figures of 2000 trucks and five rakes a day.

It might be noted that throughput of ore for exports through the port substantially dropped following South Eastern Railway's decision to cut down on rake allotment.

Also, road transportation was badly hit due to the disturbed condition in the iron ore belt in Orissa as a sequel to the firing in Kalinga Nagar.

The port authorities took up the matter with the Shipping Ministry as also the Railway Board.

Interestingly, road transportation of chrome ore for exports was never really affected, despite the Kalinga Nagar firing.

The port handles around 200 trucks of chrome ore for exports every day.

Despite improvement in ore shipments, port authorities are apprehending that the total cargo throughput for January will be lower by an estimated one lakh tonnes than that in the same month of last year (January 2005).

The current month's throughput might be around 27.5 lakh tonnes (28.5 lakh tonnes).

Cumulatively, the total traffic throughput till January this year is estimated at 27.2 million tonnes (mt).

If the current trend is any indication, the port might find it difficult to achieve the targeted 33 mt by the end of March 2006.

"We hope to cross 32 mt but are not sure if the targeted 33 mt will be achieved," observe PPT sources.

Last year's figure was 30 mt.