NMPT handles 35.5 MT cargo during 2009-10

Ban on iron ore through NH reduces business, says chairman

Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, NMPT Chairman P Tamilvanan said that the shortfall has been mainly due to the decline in handling of Iron Ore Fines to the tune of 3.15 million tonnes.

“The restrictions imposed in the movement of Iron ore fines in the National Highways has contributed to the less handling of Iron Ore fines. However the Port could make up the shortfall to some extent by the increased handling of coal, containers, lime stone, etc,” he said and added that the number of vessels handled during 2009-10 increased to 1,186 as against 1,184 vessels handled during the previous year.

The container traffic substantially increased by 10.16 per cent by handling a record  number of 31,456  TEUs as against 28,555 TEUs handled during the previous year. Record quantity of 2.79 million tonnes of coal was handled during the current financial year surpassing the earlier record of 1.92 milion tonnes handled during  2008-09. LPG traffic of 1.63 million tonnes was handled during 2009-10 surpassing the earlier record of 1.56 million tonnes handled during 2008-09. Maize traffic of 1.61 lakh tonnes was handled during the current year as against 1.10 lakh tonnes handled during last year.
A total of 11.27 lakh tonnes of limestone was handled during 2009-10 as against 7.67 lakh tonnes handled during the previous year.

The Port achieved a record discharge of 10,544 metric tonnes of Urea from the vessel MV D D Vigilant during 2009, which was the highest quantity of Urea ever handled at the port in a day from a vessel. The earlier record as 8,507 metric tonnes of Urea handled in 2006.

The Railway traffic also registered an impressive growth of 13.33 per cent by handling a record quantity of 67.30 lakh tonnes during 2009-10.
For the third consecutive year, the total revenue of NMPT crossed Rs 300 crore and for the fifth consecutive year, the Port could earn a net surplus of above Rs 100 crore.

Infrastructure
Mangalore port will soon have a cargo container terminal at a cost of Rs 2.76 crore, coal handling facility for UPCL at a cost of Rs 230 crore on Build, Operate and Transfer basis (BOT). The work is in the final stage of completion and will be operational by September 2010. Construction of POL berth at a cost of Rs 70 crore has been aproved by the ministry. Setting up of Iron Ore handling facilities at Deep Draft Multi purpose berth on BOT basis at a cost of Rs 296 crores will be taken up soon. Land has been allotted on long term basis for development of Container Freight Station and for setting up of facilities for bulk cement handling near the Port. Concrete works of roads inside the Port at a cost of Rs 30 crores has been completed. Other road works inside the Port area at a cost of Rs 20 crores are in different stages of progress.
The Port has taken up the work of total computerisation with a view to increase the efficiency of the Port and the work is in advance stage of implementation. Campus Networking is complete in all respects. The work of implementing ERP Solutions entrusted to TCS is under progress and is expected to complete by December 2010, the Chairman said.
DH News Service