Mundra crosses 100-mt mark in cargo throughput

Mundra port in Gujarat has handled 100 million tonne (mt) of cargo during 2013-14, joining an elite club of global ports that have reached this mark. Mundra also became India’s biggest port in terms of cargo handled. Mundra port surpassed Kandla port, located just 60 km away on the Gulf of Kutch in Gujarat, in terms of the amount of cargo handled. During the period, Kandla port loaded 93.6 mt of cargo while Mundra was second, handling 82 mt of cargo. Experts attribute the success to Mundra’s strategic location. About 70 per cent of India’s trade in commodities such as crude oil, coal, fertilisers, foodgrains and container cargo is accounted for by cargo originating and destined for centres in north and north-western

India including the National Capital Region, apart from Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh. The location is also a gateway to Europe, the US, Africa and West Asia.