Major ports report modest increase in April-July traffic

Traffic handled at 12 major ports in the country posted a minor increase of 1.17 per cent during the April-July 2009 period compared with the traffic handled during the corresponding period last year. 

The over one per cent growth has been made possible by a substantive growth in traffic at the Paradip, Tuticorin and Mormugao Ports. The three ports reported traffic growths of 22.24 per cent, 11.82 per cent and 19.01 per cent, respectively, over the traffic handled during the same period last year.

Besides Paradip, Tuticorin and Mormugao ports, the New Mangalore port (4.90 per cent) and Kandla port (3.96 per cent) also saw increase in traffic handled during the period.

At 180,094 thousand tonnes, total traffic handled by the 12 major ports during this period was up 1.17 per cent compared with the 178,018 thousand tonnes handled during the corresponding period last year. However, total traffic handled by the 12 ports was well below the targeted 189,610 thousand tonnes.

Port-wise details of the target, traffic handled during April-July 2009 and April-July 2008 are as below: