The New Mangalore port handled 17.98 million tonnes of cargo during the first half of the current financial year as against 15.77 mt in the corresponding period of the previous year, recording a growth of 14 per cent.

Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), attributed this growth to various factors, including the increased volume of traffic in iron ore; POL, LPG, crude and petroleum products, coal and container cargo. Added to this, the railway-bound traffic also saw a more than 100 per cent growth during the period.

In the first six months of 2007-08, the port handled 9,980 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) of containers as against 8,025 TEUs in the corresponding period of previous year, registering a growth rate of 24.36 per cent. New feeder container vessel connecting the JNPT with the NMPT commenced operation. The port added facilities such as reach stacker and paved stack yard for stacking containers.

Giving details about the facilities, he said that first gearless vessel – m.v. Navios Gemini S – had called at the port to load 67,055 tonnes of iron ore to China.

As many as 556 vessels (503 vessels) were handled at the port in the first six months of the fiscal, recording a growth of 10.53 per cent during the year.

RAILWAY TRAFFIC

One of the major developments in cargo handling during the period was the increase in the railway-bound cargo at the port. During the first half of the fiscal, the port handled 26.30 lakh tonnes of railway-bound traffic as against 12.01 lakh tonnes in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, registering a growth of 119 per cent.

Mr Tamilvanan told Business Line that Mr V.N. Mathur, Member (Traffic), Railway Board, during his recent visit to the port visited the facilities at the Railway Marshalling Yard at Panambur near the port.

Discussions were also held with the General Managers of South Western Railway and Southern Railway, and the Chief Operational Manager of Southern Railway for improvements in railway connectivity.

PASSENGER VESSEL

The first passenger vessel of the cruise season, m.v. Ocean Oddeyssey, had called at the port with tourists from the UK, he said.

The vessel started its voyage from Sri Lanka and after visiting Goa it reached the NMPT. Later, it left for Lakshadweep.