Cargo handling at six major ports rise in April

During April 2013, cargo handling at six major ports rose from the year-ago month, while that of other seven ports contracted.

Cargo handling at all the major ports taken together declined 2.58 per cent to 54.56 mn t during April 2013. Paradip Port Trust (PPT) is one of the six major ports which witnessed growth in cargo volume.

The port handled 5.65 million tonne (mn t) cargo, which is a growth of 4.24 per cent from the corresponding month of last year.

The five other ports that witnessed growth in cargo handling are Ennore, Kandla, New Mangalore, Mumbai port and VO Chidambaram.

Paradip Port witnessed rise in cargo handling because of higher throughput of coal, crude oil, and petroleum products during the month.

Iron ore export, once a major item of traffic, continued to languish though there indications of some exports taking place.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that the port received response from 20 bidders for its open tender for 15 iron ore storage plots. Finally five bidders withdrew.

The court cases involving 48 other iron ore plots were creating problems because unless these plots were vacated, the work on two BOT berths, one for iron ore and the other for coal, could not be started.