Mormugao Port Trust is taking steps to attract cargoes other than iron ore in order to ramp up its revenue, which took a hit following the decline in iron ore export.
Over 80 per cent of the total traffic at the port consisted of iron ore export cargo till the mining ban in Goa affected shipment of the raw material.
In order to attract other cargoes, the port authority is holding trade meets in various parts of Karnataka, such as Hubli and Belgaum.
The port is said to be witnessing some breakthrough in attracting other cargoes. For example, an estimated 45,000 tonne of maize generated from Bagalkot area were exported through the port a few months ago.
In order to improve connectivity to the port, the port authority requested Container Corporation of India to run services on the route.
Concor is setting up an inland container depot (ICD) at Desur, about 10 km from Belgaum and it has also agreed to examine the port’s request.
Manufacturers of cast iron and other engineering products in Belgaum prefer Jawaharlal Nehru port although Mormugao port is only 160 km away while the former is more than 500 km away.
This is because to reach Mormugao port by road, the heavy duty vehicles (trailers carrying containers) have to negotiate the steep western ghat sections, which is a difficult proposition.
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