Visakhapatnam port handled 3.6 million tonne (mt) additional cargo during the first half of the current financial year as compared with the same period last year. During April-September, the port handled 36.1 mt cargo, as against 32.5 mt last year.
During this six months, it handled 10 mt petroleum products, 9.7 mt iron ore, 5.1 mt coal products, 1.9 mt fertiliser and fertiliser raw material, 1.9 mt container cargo and 7.3 mt other cargo.
Container cargo imports and exports increased 86 per cent during the six-month period from 1 mt last year, port officials said. Petroleum products also increased by 1 mt, mainly on the back of crude oil transshipment, while iron ore improved by 900,000 tonne.
Gangavaram port too saw a marginal increase in handling. During the first half, the port port handled 7.8 mt cargo as against 7.5 mt in the corresponding period previous year. It mainly handled 5.1 mt coal and 1.9 mt iron ore.
However, cargo handling at Kakinada port declined by 500,000 tonnes during the period under review. Kakinada deepwater port handled 4.5 mt cargo as against 5 mt in the pervious year.