India's container throughput up 10pc in first 5 months

INDIA's major state-owned ports saw a 10 per cent increase in the volume of containers handled in the first five months of fiscal 2010-11 ending August 31, to total three million TEU, according to the Indian Ports Association.

While almost all major ports increased their throughput numbers on a year on year basis, the biggest gainer was the Port of Chennai. The south eastern hub handled 630,000 TEU, up 32 per cent against fiscal 2009-10, reports Newark-based the Journal of Commerce.

It said the MSC Chitra-Khalijia-3 collision in the Mumbai harbour in August had a negative impact on traffic growth at the Port of Jawaharlal Nehru (Nhava Sheva), the country's largest box gateway, where throughput remained flat compared to the same period year previous at 1.7 million TEU.

The smaller container ports of Kolkata, Tuticorin and Cochin all experienced growth in box volumes during the five-month period. Kolkata's throughput rose to 216,000 TEU, up from 204,000 TEU. Tuticorin handled 189,000 TEU, up from 182,000 TEU, while at Cochin volume rose to 144,000 TEU, up from 129,000 TEU.

According to the IPA, overall tonnage at major ports for the period from April until the end of August was up by one per cent, from 225.5 million tons to 227 million tons, with Kandla becoming the top cargo handler with throughput of 33.4 million tons.
(Source:www.schednet.com)