Cargo throughput at the Visakhapatnam Port dropped by about 1 million tonne during the first six months of the current financial year, as compared with the same period a year ago. Up to September 20, the port handled around 30.52 million tonne cargo as against 31.62 million tonne in the corresponding period last fiscal.
The decline happened mainly due to the shutdown of HPCL’s Vizag refinery for 45 days for regular maintenance works, port sources told Business Standard. The port handled 9.54 million tonne petroleum products from April 1 to September 20, 2009, but this was down to 8.62 million tonne in the corresponding period of the current year. One plant of 3.5 million tonne capacity refinery was closed for 45 days for maintenance in the first quarter, which led to a slowdown in the crude oils imports from the port.
Apart from this, thermal coal exports also reduced by about 450,000 tonnes during the same period though fertiliser and container cargo handling increased by about 810,000 tonnes compared with the year ago period.
Vizag port handled about 65.5 million tonne cargo in 2009-10. The shipping ministry has set a cargo handling target of 67 million tonne for the year 2010-11, they said.
