Cargo volumes at dozen major ports rise 16 per cent during April-September to 347 mt

MUMBAI : Cargo handled at India’s dozen state-owned major ports rose 16.12 per cent during the April-September period to 347.020 million tonnes (mt) from 298.848 mt a year ago.

Thermal and steam coal shipments through the dozen ports rose 39.99 per cent to 48.407 mt during the first half of FY22 from 34.580 mt a year earlier, according to the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways.

In containers, the 12 major ports handled a combined 5.475 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), 34.36 per cent more than the 4.075 million TEUs handled during April-September of FY21.

Of this, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), India’s busiest state-run container gateway, handled 2.703 million TEUs from 1.925 million TEUs during the same period last year, according to the ministry.

Shipments of iron ore including pellets declined 17 per cent to 27.387 mt from 33.006 mt a year earlier.

Among ports, Kamarajar Port Ltd grew the most during the first half, handling 18.980 mt from 10.776 mt a year ago, notching a growth of 76 per cent.

JNPT grew by 34.95 per cent to 36.351 mt from 26.937 mt while Cochin Port Trust grew by 27.55 per cent to 16.046 mt from 12.580 mt last year.

Chennai Port Trust clocked a growth of 25.62 per cent to handle 23.091 mt from 18.381 mt last year.

Deendayal Port Trust handled 62.999 mt of cargo between April and September from 53.372 mt last year, posting a growth of 18 per cent.