The Hindu Business Line : New Mangalore port records 18% growth in container handling

Mangalore, July 7 The New Mangalore Port continues to show an upward trend in handling container cargo during the current financial year. The port handled 9,286 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers till Tuesday during the current financial year as against 7,859 TEUs in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, recording a growth 18 per cent during the period.

The container traffic at New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) has shown steady growth over the years. The port, which handled 8,943 TEUs of container during 2004-05, handled 28,555 TEUs during 2008-09.

A press release by New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) said that the port achieved record container traffic of 1,436 TEUs in a single vessel — m.v. Elbe Trader — which called at the port on July 3. This is the highest quantity of containers ever handled at the port in a vessel. The vessel under the agency of Bengal Tiger Lines has a capacity of 1,608 TEUs with 200 reefer plug points. The vessel, which called at New Mangalore Port with import containers stuffed with raw cashew and timber, will load export containers with reefer cargo, coffee, machinery, candle, granite for various destinations.

The release said that the handling operation is in full swing in spite of the heavy rainfall in the region. It is expected to complete the operation and sail out to Colombo on Wednesday. The release said that HML Agencies Pvt Ltd is the stevedores and C&F agents.

Quoting Mr P. Tamilvanan, Chairman of NMPT, the release attributed the reasons for growth in container traffic to the infrastructure additions for the smooth handling of cargo, proactive marketing initiatives of the port, and to the cooperation from cargo handling workers and port users.