The Hindu Business Line : NMPT cargo traffic goes up

Throughput
During 2005-06, the import traffic stood at 16.55 million tonnes (15.51 mt).
Export traffic was at 17.92 million tonnes (18.37 mt).
Iron ore fines exports during the fiscal stood at 5.84 mt (5.57 mt).

Mangalore , April 3

The New Mangalore port has handled 34.45 million tonnes of cargo during 2005-06 against 33.89 million tonnes handled during the previous financial year, registering a growth of 1.65 per cent.

Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), said increase in the volumes of POL (petroleum, oil and lubricants) crude and products, fertilisers, coal and containers have helped in achieving the growth during the year.

"The port has done well during 2005-06. It could have done better," he said.

During 2005-06, the import traffic at the port stood at 16.55 million tonnes (15.51 mt) and export traffic at 17.92 million tonnes (18.37 mt).

The port exported 5.84 mt (5.57 mt) of iron ore fines during the fiscal. Had it not been for the iron ore lorry operators strike last year, the exports would have crossed 6 mt, said Mr Tamilvanan.The lorry operators, bringing iron ore fines from Bellary-Hospet region, went on a strike for a few weeks last year.

Decline in KIOCL volumes

The cargo volumes of Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd's (KIOCL) - one of the major users of the port - also came down during the fiscal. KIOCL exports iron ore concentrates and pellets through the port. The port exported 3.45 mt (4.69 mt) of iron ore concentrates and pellets during 2005-06.

Containers

Stating that the port has shown an upward trend in handling container traffic, he said the port handled 9,646 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers as against 8,943 TEUs in 2004-05. The total volume of container cargo stood at 1.48 lakh tonnes (1.36 lakh tonnes) during 2005-06, he said.

Around 12,000 containers of coffee cargo from Hassan region are being exported through various other major ports in the country, and the proposed commissioning of Mangalore-Hassan railway line will help attract that cargo, he said.

New cargoes

The port handled new cargoes such as yellow peas, clay, hydraulic excavator and rubber products during the year. The port also handled project cargo for Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd. Project cargo was brought from Hazira port to manufacture Euro III and Euro IV products for the company, he said.

The net surplus crossed Rs 100 crore for the first time in the history of the port, he said.

Asked about the tariff revision in the port, he said a proposal has been submitted to the Tariff Authority on Major Ports in this regard.