Cochin Port registers record cargo throughput during 2023-24

KOCHI : The Cochin Port under the Cochin Port Authority (CPA) performed considerably well during the financial year 2023-24 registering a record cargo throughput of 36.32 million metric tonnes (Mt), which is also the highest cargo traffic recorded at the port at a modest growth of 3.01% over the previous financial year (2022-23).

The cargo profile of the Port continued to remain dominated by liquid bulk cargo and containers the a share of 68% and 28% respectively of the total cargo handled at the port. Dry bulk (3%) and break bulk cargo (1%) constituted the remaining cargo traffic.

The   growth in the traffic was led by an impressive growth of 8.57% in liquid bulk cargo (24.83 million MT), primarily driven by crude, petroleum products and LNG. A record of 17.20 million MT Crude and 5.86 million MT Petroleum Products were handled at the Port. The Port also handled 1.13 million MT of LNG during the FY, which is 18.58 % higher than the previous FY. Cochin Port has also started handling LPG at the Multi User Liquid Terminal (MULT) which was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister on 17.01.2024. The current FY also saw the Port widening its cargo profile with the handling of 1,33,534 MTs of LPG. The Port also handled 3,44,001 MTs Tons of bunkers during the fiscal. Thus Cochin Port has etched its place as an reliable and prominent energy port offering round the year uninterrupted services to all liquid bulk tankers carrying cruder, POL, LPG and LNG and bunker services to the maritime trade.

The port handled 1.17 million MT of dry bulk cargo which included cement, fertilizer and salt whereas, alumina, steel coils and defence cargo were the major break bulk commodities in the 1,39,255 MT of break bulk cargo handled at the port. During the current FY, the Port handled 15,816 MT of wooden logs which is a new cargo.

Of the total traffic of 36.32 million MT at the Port, 35 % (12.59million MT) was coastal trade and the remaining (65%) was foreign trade. Apart from the containerised import exports, the principal import commodities are crude oil, LNG, LPG, fertilizer raw material, cement, salt, etc. The principal exports include diesel, Motor Spirit and bunker fuels.

In line with the policy of the Government of India, Cochin Port has contributed towards promoting movement of coastal cargo. This is reflected in the steady growth in coastal cargo over the past years. The major commodities that contributed this growth include cement, petroleum products, salt and containers. This includes coastal trade between ports in west coast such as Kandla, Mul Dwarka and Mangalore and on the east coast with Haldia and Vizag.

Container Traffice

The container traffic registered an all time high record. 7,54,237 twenty feet equivalents (TEUs) were handled during the fiscal which is a record handling surpassing the previous best of 7,35,577 TEUs handled in 2021-22. In the previous year ICTT had handled 6,95,230 TEUs.

Out of 7,54,237 TEUs, 3,83,232 were exim boxes (51%) and 3,71,005 TEUs coastal traffic (49%). The transhipment volumes stood at 1,05,405 TEUs. ICTT also handled 75,370 TEUs in March 2024 which is highest monthly volume, surpassing the previous highest of 75,141 TEUs handled in February 2024.