Buoyed by pick-up in demand, India's 12 major ports saw cargo traffic increase by 4.18 per cent to 549.98 million tonnes (MT) during the April-February period of the current fiscal ending tomorrow.
These ports under the Centre had handled 527.92 MT cargo during the same eleven months of the last fiscal.
The 12 ports recorded higher traffic volumes during April-February period at 550 million tonne (MT) on account of pick-up in demand from various sectors, a Shipping Ministry official said.
Kandla port handled the highest traffic volume at 91.10 MT during the period followed by Paradip Port at 68.77 MT, JNPT at 58.61 MT, Mumbai Port at 56.05 MT and Visakhapatnam at 51.96 MT, he said.
Chennai port handled 45.36 MT of cargo while Kolkata Port including Haldia handled 45.18 MT of cargo.
During 2015-16, cargo traffic handled at India's major ports recorded growth of 4.3 per cent in the first quarter (April-June), 3.8 per cent in the second quarter (July-September) and 1.4 per cent in the third quarter (October- December).
Volume of seaborne cargo is essentially in the nature of derived demand and is mainly shaped by the levels and changes in both the global and domestic activity.
During the eleven months, Murmugao port recorded the highest growth in traffic at 38.60 per cent followed by VO Chidambaranar at 14.98 per cent, Kolkata including Haldia at 9.92 per cent, Kandla 7.63 per cent, Paradip Port 6.58 per cent, Kamarajar 5.28 per cent, Cochin 3.85 per cent and JNPT 0.66 per cent.
Four ports that witnessed negative growth during the period are Chennai 5.79 per cent, New Mangalore Port at 2.02 per cent, Visakhapatnam port at 1.83 per cent and Mumbai port at 0.46 per cent.
The 12 major ports are Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore, V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) which handle approximately 61 per cent of the country's total cargo traffic.
