JNPT, Mumbai Port post 15% growth in cargo traffic

The two major ports in Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), have together reported 15 per cent growth in cargo traffic at 23.19 million tonne during the first quarter of the current fiscal against 20.16 million tonne during the corresponding period, last year.

While MbPT witnessed surge in shipment of commodities such as pulses, wooden logs, sugar, iron, steel and vehicles, JNPT logged growth mainly from container traffic.

Mumbai Port handled 12.71 million tonne of cargo in Q1 2006-07 as compared with 10.65 million tonne in Q1 2005-06, registering 19.31 per cent growth.

MbPT officials said, it is likely to cross 44 million tonne mark in the current fiscal with the introduction of concessional benefits and offering of long-term storage facilities.

Meanwhile, the container traffic at JNPT grew 15.72 per cent during first quarter of current fiscal at 7.7 lakh twenty foot equivalent units (TEUs) against 6.5 lakh TEU during the corresponding period of last fiscal.

If container traffic growth continues in this rate, JN Port is poised to cross three million TEUs mark in container handling during the current financial year.

With this, the share of JNPT in container handling would go up from 58 per cent to 60 per cent of total container traffic projected to be handled by all major ports in India.

The container traffic handled during the quarter by the state owned container terminal (JNPCT) was 0.37 million TEUS and by private terminal operators such as Nhava Sheva International Container Terminal and Gateway Terminals India were 0.34 million TEUs and 0.068 million TEUs respectively.

JNPT handled 7.65 lakhs tonne of liquid cargo and 1.65 lakhs tonne of dry bulk/break cargo during the first quarter of the financial year 2006-07.

Meanwhile, the pendency of Inland Container Depot (ICD) import containers at JNPT which had gone up to about 12,000 TEUs during the first week of June 2006, has been brought in the range of 7000- 8000 TEUs due to concerted efforts made by Container Corporation of India and JNPT.

"The overall yard inventory is also maintained within the permissible limits," port officials said.