Cargo volumes at dozen state-owned ports decline 8.8% during April-December

The country’s dozen state-owned ports handled a combined 477.755 million tonnes (mt) of cargo during April to December, 8.8 per cent lower than the 523.844 mt in the same period last year.

Barring Mormugao Port Trust, all the other 11 ports continue to suffer from volume declines triggered by the Covid-induced demand destruction. However, the extent of volume decline year-on-year has been reducing since July, suggesting a recovery in India’s external trade, according to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) cargo comprising crude oil, petroleum products, LPG and LNG, other liquids, thermal and steam coal, coking coal and containers continue to suffer volume declines during the April to December period compared to last year.

Container volumes declined 10.99 per cent to 6.706 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 7.534 million TEUs a year ago.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust handled 3.222 million TEUs during April-December, lower than the 3.778 million TEUs last year.

Container volumes at Chennai Port Trust grew to 1.066 million TEUs during the nine months of FY21 from 9,60,000 TEUs in FY20.

Cochin Port Trust also recorded higher container volumes at 4,78,000 TEUs from 4,66,000 TEUs during April-December of FY20.

Thermal and coking coal plunged 16.43 per cent and 12.13 per cent respectively during the period to 55.164 mt and 36.963 mt respectively from a year ago.

Iron ore including pellets jumped 28.64 per cent to 50.662 mt during the period compared to 39.382 mt last year.

Finished and raw fertiliser cargo witnessed an increase between April and December, registering 5.19 per cent and 12.96 per cent growth respectively to 8.080 mt and 5.578 mt respectively from a year earlier.

POL cargo declined 16.71 per cent to 148.269 mt from 178.006 mt from a year ago.

Mormugao Port Trust handled 14.530 mt between April and December from 11.777 mt a year ago, clocking a growth of 23.38 per cent.

Paradip Port Trust has re-bounded with volumes almost reaching the levels seen during the nine months of FY20. The port located in Odisha handled 82.441 mt between April and December 2020 from 83.617 mt compared to the previous year, a decline of 1.41 per cent.