Paradip port handles record 46.41 million tonne traffic in FY'09

Paradip Port handled a record traffic of 46.41 million tonnes during 2008-09 -  a growth of 9.36 per cent over the previous fiscal – despite record fall in India's trade and the global economic meltdown.

''The port handled 46.41 million tonnes of traffic during the last financial year, surpassing the previous record of 42.44 million tonnes handled during 2007-08,'' K Raghuramaiah, chairman of Paradip Port Trust (PPT), said.'

Paradip Port, one of the major ports of India serving the eastern and central parts of the country, stood third among major ports in terms of traffic growth during 2008-09, he said

Operating income of the port for the 2008-09 fiscal stood at Rs700.21 crore as against Rs639.98 crore in 2007-08, he said.

The port railway also handled a record 34.35 million tonnes of traffic during the year, against the previous record of 30.80 million tonnes handled in 2007-08.

A record quantity of 5.13 million tonnes of cargo was handled during the month of March this year, surpassing the previous record of 4.70 million tonnes handled during February, 2009, he said.

Besides the east coast and Central India, Paradip Port serves the hinterland extending to the states of Orissa, Jharkhand, Chhatisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.

The Port mainly deals with bulk cargo apart from other clean cargoes. With unprecedented growth in the traffic handled, the port has embarked on an ambitious expansion programme of doubling its capacity.

The Port, with 14 berths of 13 metre draft and equipped with latest cargo-handling technology, operates round the clock and round the year. The port can accommodate vessels of up to 70,000 DWT.

Besides, the port boasts of a turning circle of 520 metre diameter and entrance channel of 500 metre long and 160 metre wide, approach channel of 2020 metre long and 190 meters wide.