The Hindu Business Line : Panel set up to suggest measures to enhance box traffic thru NMPT

The New Mangalore Port, in association with coffee exporters and the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry, has formed a committee to recommend measures to further increase container traffic.

A press release by the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) said here on Saturday that container traffic is increasing at the port. Large volumes of cargoes such as coffee, garments, reefer and cashew are exported from Karnataka.

As New Mangalore Port is the only major port of Karnataka and the natural gateway for this region, continuous and consistent marketing efforts are being taken up by the port administration to attract this cargo.

In this regard, Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of NMPT, had a meeting with the major coffee exporters in Bangalore recently. Mr S. Babu, President of Federation of Karnataka Chamber of Commerce and Industries, Bangalore, the Deputy Chairman of NMPT, Mr Baskarachar, the Traffic Manager, Mr Gopalakrishna, and the General Manager of Container Corporation (Concor), Bangalore, Mr Y.N. Babu, attended the meeting.

The release said detailed discussions were held at the meeting to increase container traffic from the port.

A committee was formed with representatives from coffee exporters and chamber of commerce, and the port to recommend measures to further increase the traffic through New Mangalore Port.

The matter assumes much importance, as Hassan-Mangalore railway line will be commissioned shortly. The port has also renovated its railway lines to face increase in traffic.

Record handling

The port handled a record container traffic of 126 (twenty-foot equivalent units) TEUs in one shift on April 28 as against the earlier record of 112 TEUs handled in a shift on September 6, 2004, the release added.