Record handling of coal at NMPT

According to a press release, M V Ribbon, a gearless vessel carrying 69,891 metric tonnes of coal called at the Port on November 2. The vessel arrived with 13.5 metres draft berthed at the deep draft general cargo berth (No.14) and discharged the entire consignment  within a record time using 3 harbour mobile cranes. The consignee of the cargo who has imported from Indonesia, is M/s UPCL for their Thermal Plant.

The coal traffic at NMPT has steadily grown over the past six years.  It has shot up from 3.15 lakh tonnes of coal handled during 2004-05 to 27.90 lakh tonnes during 2009-10.

The coal traffic is showing upward trend in the current financial year 2010-11 (Upto October) by handling 16.04 lakh tonnes as against 12.15 lakh tonnes handled during corresponding period of previous year with a growth rate of 32.01 per cent. 

NMPT Chairman P Tamilvanan has attributed the growth in coal traffic to the infrastructure created at the port like deep draft berth, deployment of 3 harbour mobile cranes, construction  of new railway lines inside and outside the port, concreting of all the roads inside the wharf area coupled with the efficiency in management and skilled port labour.

He said that that the  extension of railway line inside the port has contributed a lot to the faster evacuation of bulk cargo like coal, limestone, etc.