Ports in Malabar report combined growth of 80%

The seven minor ports in the Malabar region of Kerala have posted a combined growth more than 80 per cent in revenue in 2010-11 over the previous year.

The total revenue of the ports increased from Rs 4.03 crore in 2009-10 to Rs 7.31 crore during the year under review. This was significantly higher than the 15.12 per cent growth recorded in 2009-10 over the previous year.

The revenue receipts are mainly from import and export of cargo, pilotage, tug hire, boat registration and sale of dredged sand.

Beypore port, the biggest port in the region, earned a revenue of Rs 1.22 crore, which marked a rise of more than 50 per cent over Rs 79.43 lakh in the previous year. The maximum revenue income, however, was recorded by Azhikkal port. The income was to the tune of Rs 3.01 crore, up from Rs 94.2 lakh in 2009-10. Ponnani port recorded a sharp rise in income to Rs 68.39 lakh from the just Rs 42,910 in the previous year. Another notable achievement was by Vadakara, which entered the list of revenue-earning ports, with an income of Rs 61.15 lakh.

The revenue income of Thalassry port sharply declined to Rs 3.25 lakh from Rs 21.08 lakh in 2009-10. The income of other ports in region were: Kasaragod Rs 1.67 crore (Rs 2.06 crore in the previous year) and Kannur Rs 1.37 lakh (Rs 1.58 lakh).

It may be recalled that three ports in the region, namely, Beypore, Azhikkal and Ponnani, are in for major development through public-private partnership (PPP) route. The development of Ponnani port has already been entrusted with the Chennai-based Malabar Ports Ltd.

However, re-tendering has become necessary in the case of Beypore and Azhikkal ports, as the global tenders floated earlier had failed to elicit any response from private investors. The re-tendering process will be initiated after the new Government assumes office next month.

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