The Hindu Business Line : Vizag is No 1 port

The Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) has emerged the premier port in the country for the sixth consecutive year with a throughput exceeding 55 million tonnes.

In 2005-06, the VPT handled a record 55.80 million tonnes after easily passing the target of 55.15 million tonnes. Last year, the VPT handled 50.147 million tonnes.

Highest traffic

The annual incremental traffic of 5.65 million tonnes was the highest ever for the port; the growth rate was 11.3 per cent, according to a spokesman of the VPT.

The VPT set another national record in the monthly traffic by handling 5.65 million tonnes in March Also, the highest number of 2.109 ships sailed from the port in 2005-06. The Dock Labour Board too handled the highest traffic of 19.7 million tonnes during the period.

PORT RAILWAYS RECORD

The port railways also set several records moving 33.5 million tonnes of cargo in the year against the 32.9 million tonnes handled in 2004-05.

The commodity-wise breakup of traffic in 2005-06 vis-à-vis 2004-05 (in lakh tonnes) is: Petroleum and oil products 169.41 (previous year 146.28), export iron ore and pellets 159.86 (165.24), export thermal coal 26.97 (24.88), coking coal and LAM coke import 75.19 (71.75), steam coal 18.79 (3.53), imported fertilisers finished 22.95 (13.67), imported raw materials dry and liquid 13.29 (10.74), containers 6.3 (6.35), other export and import cargo 65.25 (59.03).

Exports: All-time high

Besides the highest ever traffic, the VPT also achieved all-time high in exports (25.15 million tonnes), imports (25.5 m.t.), unloading of steam coal, fertilisers, urea (8.13 lakh tonnes), muriate of potash (9.59 lakh tonnes), ammoniumnitrate (2.05 lakh tonnes), coking coal (7.07 million tonnes), and many others and also in unloading of several cargoes.

Other significant achievements were that the VPT won the Green-tech safety award in service sector for 2004-05, handled four very large crude carriers (VLCC) in the same year, and commissioned the 50-tonne bollard tug `Jhansi Rani' last September.