New Mangalore Port has improved its performance in container and rail-bound traffic handling during the current financial year.
While it crossed the performance in container traffic compared to the previous fiscal, the rail-bound traffic witnessed a growth of 97.58 per cent during the fiscal.
In addition to this, export of maize has begun from the port.
A press release by the Traffic Manager of New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), Mr S. Gopalakrishna, said here on Friday, the port – which handled 17,290 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers during 2006-07 – handled 17,516 TEUs till the end of January during 2007-08.
RAIL-BOUND
The port also handled 4.90 million tonnes of rail-bound traffic during the current fiscal as against 2.48 million tonnes handled during the corresponding period of last year, recording a growth of 97.58 per cent.
The general cargo traffic got a boost with the export of first consignment of maize to Dubai.
The release said that m.v. Abboud-G called at the port on January 24 to load 17,000 tonnes of maize. The second vessel – m.v. Noor-E-Mustafa – berthed on Friday for loading another 15,000 tonnes of maize for Oman.
AWB India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, is the exporter of the cargo. The cargo has been brought from Harihar, Davangere, Shimoga, Honnali, Hubli and Hassan Karnataka.
Atlantic Shipping is the agent and Hassan Haji & Co is the clearing and forwarding agent and stevedores for the cargo.
Quoting Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of NMPT, the release said that the port is hopeful of more flow of cargo from the hinterland in the coming months. He attributed the increase in cargo traffic to the hectic business development drive followed by the port and to the infrastructure addition.