Karaikal port’s cargo volumes grow over 26 % in FY’-12

MARG Karaikal Port, a subsidiary of Chennai-based infrastructure major MARG Limited, posted impressive growth in the volume of cargo handled during FY2012, making the port one of the fastest growing in the country.

The port handled 6.01 million tones of cargo, notching up a sharp growth of over 26.5 per cent over the volume of 4.75 million tonnes handled during the previous financial year.

During the year, the volume of clean cargo such as fertiliser nearly doubled in comparison with the previous financial year.

March 2012 was a record setting month with the port handling around 850,000 tonnes of cargo, the highest ever in a single month. Also the port handled large-scale exports of raw sugar for the first time during the year and saw an increase in the exports of processed sugar to various overseas destinations.

''MARG Karaikal Port is fast emerging as one of the finest ports in the southeast coast of India and its performance in FY'12 is very encouraging. Despite the rising inflation, tight liquidity, high interest rates, industrial slowdown and a challenging business environment, MARG Karaikal Port posted an impressive performance and it has consolidated its position as the new maritime gateway to central Tamil Nadu,'' GRK Reddy, chairman and managing director of MARG Group, said.

''Capacity to handle large vessels and diverse cargo, single window clearance, E2E logistics, state-of-the-art equipment, competitive tariffs and an ideal location are hallmarks of MARG Karaikal Port, " he added.