 "PPT logs 6% cargo growth")
The cargo traffic handled by the port is the second highest among all major ports after Kandla port.
The port also showed significant improved in efficiency parameters in this period, thereby reducing the logistics cost of cargo exported and imported through the port.
The average detention time for a ship at the port stood at 4.92 days in the period declining 25 per cent from 6.58 days in the year-ago period. Also, the average ship-day productivity rose 14 per cent from 17183 tonne to 19646 tonne. The number of cargo vessels handled rose from 960 to 1061, an increase of 10.52 per cent.
Even though the number of vessels handled in the port has been increased along with the quantity of cargo handled, the berth occupancy has been reduced from 76.46 per cent to 68.21 per cent, thanks to the higher ship-day productivity achieved during the period. While around 20 vessels were waiting in the anchorage for berth last year, the number of such waiting vessels have been drastically come down to 2-3 days vessels this year, which has a direct impact on demurrage charges thereby savings in precious foreign exchange to the nation.
Paradip Port has taken up slew of initiatives in line with recommendation of Boston Consulting Group - the international consulting firm engaged by the Ministry of Shipping. The port has implemented productivity norms for the vessels handled in the
mechanized coal handling plant and other general cargo berths with effect from August 2015 and rolled out penal charges for inefficiencies in the mechanized coal berths with effect from November 2015. As an attempt to improve 'Ease of Doing Business' in the port, Paradip Port addressed several issues related to the cargo handling operation in the port for providing the importers and exporters the freedom to select their stevedores /service providers.