Traffic movement at India's major ports rises 7% in FY22, says govt

The government on Friday said that the country's ports have registered an "impressive" growth rate of 6.94 per cent in term of traffic movement during the fiscal year 2021-22 as compared to that of the previous year.

Major Indian ports under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways registered an impressive growth rate in traffic movement at 6.94 per cent during the fiscal 2021-22 over the previous fiscal year, an official statement said.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the statutory body in charge of the waterways in India under the ministry, transported a total of 105 million tonnes of cargo through national waterways, registering an increase of 25.61 per cent year-on-year, the statement said.

 

The average turnaround time for container vessels at major ports has also improved from 43.44 hours in 2014 to 26.58 hours in 2021, it said, adding that five major ports recorded their highest ever traffic during fiscal 2021-22.

While Kamarajar Port witnessed 49.63 per cent more traffic over the previous year, the JNPT achieved its highest ever traffic during the same period registering a growth of 17.27 per cent year-on-year.

The statement said that Deendayal Port also clocked an impressive growth rate of 8.11 per cent during FY22, which is its highest ever traffic, while traffic at Cochin Port grew 9.68 per cent on year-on-year basis, reaching its all-time high traffic movement.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said, during the last fiscal, the ministry has put forth unwavering efforts aiming at the vision of transformation through transportation.

"This has not only helped us inch closer towards achievement of these objectives within the specified time but also improving the performance of our major verticals.

"This trickles down towards ease of doing business and overall growth in trade and economic growth of the country," he said.