The Hindu Business Line : Paradip port limping back to work after 75-hr power cut

Kolkata May 26 The electricity supply having been restored after about 75 hours, Paradip port is limping back to normalcy. The loading of ships in mechanical berths, whose functioning remained paralysed for the past few days due to power failure, resumed operations since Friday evening.

Similarly, the tippling of iron rakes and mechanical unloading of thermal coal rakes also started around the same time. The port Web site informs that the traffic throughput on Friday revived to around 1-lakh tonnes, after having dropped to 35,000 to 40,000 tonnes in the past few days.

Inquiries however reveal that it will be a few more days before normalcy is fully restored on all fronts.

The large number of railway rakes loaded with thermal coal for coastal shipments and iron ore for exports, and detained at various points in the circuit, have started moving. The rakes detained within the port are being cleared, it is learnt.

In the line

Similarly, shipping movement will take time to become normal. Right now, nine vessels are waiting for berths — six of them are to load iron ore, including two in mechanical berths and four others in manual berths. Three other waiting vessels are one each for thermal coal (loading) and lam coke and no-coking coal (unloading).