Cargo traffic declines at Kolkata, Mumbai ports

New Delhi, May 17: BERTHING constraints and choked cargo evacuation routes have led to a massive decline in cargo traffic at the country’s oldest ports in Kolkata and Mumbai.

Cargo traffic handled by the Kolkata Port declined by 24.6 per cent to 5.42 million tonne in the first nine months of 2000-01 as compared to 7.19 million tonne cargo handled in the same period the previous year, official sources said. At Mumbai Port, the decline was 11.32 per cent to 20.75 million tonne in April-December 2000-01 as against 23.40 million tonne cargo handled in the corresponding period last year.

Cargo traffic handled by 11 major ports in the country at 209.22 million tonne fell short by about two per cent of the targeted 213.32 million tonne during April-December 2000-01.

The cargo traffic handled was, however, higher than the 201.43 million tonne achieved in the first nine months of 1999-2000 mainly on account of good performance ports of Haldia, Paradip and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT).

JNPT , into its second year of operation, posted a 22.3 per cent increase to 13.54 million tonne in April-December 2000-01 as against 11.07 milion tonne a year ago. Kandla Port, also on the west coast, however saw a 20 per cent decline in traffic to 29.59 million tonne in the nine month period. (PTI)