Vizag port cargo handling up 11 per cent

The Visakhapatnam Port registered a growth of 11.4 per cent in cargo handling in 2005-06 as compared to the last fiscal despite shifting about 30 lakh tonnes of cargo to the Kakinada port.

"Even though the port lost about 30 lakh tonnes of cargo to the Kakinada deep water port, it was able to handle about 557.5 lakh tonnes of cargo during this fiscal registering an 11 per cent growth as compared to the last fiscal," K Ratna Kishore, chairman, Visakhapatnam Port Trust, told Business Standard. The port handled 500.1 lakh tonnes of cargo in 2004-05.

About 10 lakh tonnes of crude transshipment cargo and about 20 lakh tonnes of iron ore, which were normally handled in Vizag port was shifted to Kakinada port this fiscal.

The port could surpass the last year's figures as it attracted other cargos like steam coal, fertilisers, soya beans, and coking coal, the chairman said.

The port gained about 15 lakh tonnes in steam coal handling during this fiscal, as compared to the last fiscal. In 2004-05, it handled only 3.53 lakh tonnes of steam coal, whereas this year it rose to 18.78 lakh tonnes, registering a growth of about 432 per cent, he added.

"The port has been maintaining its number one position for six consecutive years in cargo handling among all other major ports in the country," he added.

In the current year, the port handled about 168.75 lakh tonnes of petroleum products including transshipment cargo, 159.74 lakh tonnes of iron ore, 36.19 lakh tonnes of fertilisers and fertiliser raw materials, 70.80 lakh tonnes of coking coal, 4.25 lakh tonnes of soyabean, 4.45 lakh tonnes of steel products and 84.2 lakh tonnes of other cargo as against 146.22 lakh tonnes, 164.3 lakh tonnes, 24.41 lakh tonnes, 65.07 lakh tonnes, 1.71 lakh tonnes, 2.44 lakh tonnes and 62.46 lakh tonnes respectively in the year 2004-05.