Pipavav port handles 6% more marine export cargo

Gujarat-based Pipavav port handled 233,738 tonne of marine exports in 2012-13, 6 per cent higher than 219,801 tonne handled in the previous year, data from Marine Products Export Development Authority shows.

It is learnt that the port continues to be a leading facility for export of seafood, in terms of quantity, for the second consecutive year in 2012-13.

However, in value terms, both Vizag and Kochi maintained an almost equal share in earnings of Rs 3,344.97 crore and Rs 3,265.64 crore respectively in 2012-13.

In quantity-wise exports, Kochi port is the second leading facility handling 162,109 tonne, an increase of 6.34 per cent over the previous year. JNPT was closely behind, handling 145,723 tonne in 2012-13.

While Vizag registered a 26.12 per cent increase in value terms, Kochi registered 14.22 per cent. Pipavav registered a 3 per cent increase, from Rs 2,710.34 crore to Rs 2,808.25 crore.

The higher earnings of Vizag port is mainly because of the exports of vannamei shrimps, a high-value aquaculture product.

The largest buyer of marine products continued to be South-east Asia, followed by the EU, the US, Japan, China and the Middle East.