Most Major Ports witness positive growth in 2023-24; POL,containers lead the way
The total traffic handled at Major Ports during April to March 2024 was 819.23 million tonnes as against 784.31 million tonnes handled during the corresponding period of the previous year. The overall increase in traffic was 4.45%.
Except Deendayal Port and Kolkata Dock System, positive growth was witnessed in all the other Major Ports during the fiscal, highlighted a communique by Indian Ports Association (IPA).
Mormugao and Paradip lead
The highest growth of 18.93% was achieved by Mormugao Port during April to March 2024 against the corresponding period of the previous year. It was followed by New Mangalore (10.36%), Visakhapatnam (9.95%), V. O. Chidambaranar (8.84%), Paradip (7.40%), Mumbai (5.74%), Chennai (5.41%), Kamarajar (4.07%), Cochin (3.01%), JNPA (2.33%) and SMP Kolkata (Incl. Haldia) (1.11%).
During April to March 2024, Paradip Port handled the highest volume of traffic i.e. 145.38 million tonnes (17.75% share) followed by Deendayal Port with 132.37 million tonnes (16.16% share), JNPA with 85.82 million tonnes (10.48% share), Visakhapatnam with 81.09 million tonnes (9.90% share) and Mumbai Port with 67.26 million tonnes (8.21% share). Together, these five ports handled more than 62% of the Major Ports traffic.
Commodities driving growth
At Mormugao Port, cargo traffic increased due to rise in iron ore incl. pellets by 118.35%, fin. fertilisers by 63.83%, thermal & steam coal by 34.65%, other liquids by 26.56% and other misc. cargo by 8.44%.
At New Mangalore Port, cargo traffic increased due to rise in thermal & steam coal by 63.73%, iron ore incl. pellets by 58.77%, container tonnage by 18.24%, other liquids by 15.10% and coking & other coal by 7.62%.
Visakhapatnam Port traffic increased due to rise in coking & other coal by 36.79%, container tonnage by 30.92%, fert. raw materials by 26.56%, finished fertilisers by 21.27%, POL by 17.93%, other misc. cargo by 11.58% and iron ore incl. pellets by 8.18%.
V. O. Chidambaranar Port traffic increased due to rise in POL by 56.19%, coking & other coal by 47.37%, fin. fertilisers by 19.67%, fert. raw materials by 7.85%, other misc. cargo by 6.78% and container tonnage by 1.78%.
Paradip Port cargo traffic increased due to rise in iron ore incl. pellets by 39.54%, coking & other coal by 14.25%, fert. raw materials by 10.82%, container tonnage by 5.73%, other misc. cargo by 2.96%, POL by 0.41% and thermal & steam coal by 0.07%.
Mumbai Port growth was mainly due to increase in traffic of fin. fert. by 41.78%, thermal & steam coal by 29.13%, fert. raw materials by 14.02%, other liquids by 7.77%, POL by 5.28% and other misc. cargo by 1.64%.
At Chennai Port, cargo traffic increased due to rise in iron ore incl. pellets by 631.86%, container tonnage by 8.11%, POL by 4.21%, fert. raw materials by 3.21% and other liquids by 0.92%.
At Kamarajar Port, traffic increased mainly due to rise in traffic of other liquids by 28.46%, container tonnage by 22.04%, coking & other coal by 12.24% and POL by 5.96%.
The traffic at Cochin Port increased due to rise in the traffic of fert. raw materials by 11.11%, POL by 8.83% and container tonnage by 1.93%.
JNPA traffic increased due to increase in other misc. cargo by 32.38%, POL by 4.71% and container tonnage by 2.54%.
In Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, overall traffic increased by 1.11%. Kolkata Dock System (KDS) traffic decreased by -1.15% and Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) traffic increased by 1.91%. KDS traffic decreased due to fall in other liquids by -60.87%, fert. raw materials by -40.00%, other misc. cargo by -23.31% and coking & other coal by -11.69%. Traffic at HDC increased due to rise in traffic of iron ore incl. pellets by 91.80%, fin. fertilisers by 74.55%, other liquids by 7.53% and POL by 0.96%.
The decline in cargo traffic witnessed at Deendayal Port was -3.77%. A fall was seen in the traffic of fin. fertilisers by -26.91%, thermal & steam coal by -18.74%, other misc. cargo by -15.66%, other liquids by -7.57% and container tonnage by 0.82%.
POL on top
Commodity-wise percentage share of POL was maximum i.e. 30.03%, followed by container (22.16%), thermal coal (15.51%), other misc. cargo (11.00%), coking coal (7.92%), iron ore (7.45%), other liquids (3.77%), FRM (1.15%) and finished fertilisers (1.01%).
Except other liquids, fin. fertilisers, thermal & steam coal and other misc. cargo, positive growth was witnessed in all other commodities.
Iron ore incl. pellets increased by 32.68%, fert. raw materials by 13.56%, coking & other coal by 10.24%, container tonnage by 6.63% and POL by 5.06%. On the other hand, other misc. cargo declined by -6.37%, finished fertilisers by -5.14%, other liquids by -4.94% and thermal & steam coal by -1.72%, informed the release.
source: Exim News Service: New Delhi, April 22