: The Paradip Port has handled traffic of 71.01 million tonnes during the year 2014-15, as against the previous year’s traffic of 68 million tonnes, registering a growth of 4.42 per cent year-on-year.
Paradip Port Trust (PPT) maintained its second position in terms of traffic handled among all major ports across the country.
“In the current financial year, Paradip Port is poised to handle 78 million tonnes of cargo. The Port in the first two months of the current financial year (May 30, 2015) has handled 11.66 million tonnes of cargo as against 11.40 million tonnes last year. The cargo growth is already 2.28 per cent more than last year during the same period,” PPT said in a statement.
Similarly, in terms of the number of ships, 254 ships called at Paradip Port during this period as against 240 ships’ call in the last year. “In terms of number of ships’ call, the increase in ships’ number is 5.83 per cent more this year compared to last year,” it said.
The PPT reported marginal decline in cargo handling during April 2015 by 5.28 per in comparison to the previous year mainly due to the current mining policy of the country.
As per the Paradip Port, the total revenue has now touched Rs. 1,059.50 crore with operating revenue of Rs. 920.94 crore. The port achieved profit to the tune of Rs. 261.69 crore, posting a growth of 12.26 per cent.
M.T. Krishna Babu, IAS, PPT Chairman and N. Vaiyapuri, Deputy Chairman congratulated employees on achievements and expressed confidence that the port would maintain its success in the current financial year.
Current efforts to deepen the channel and harbour to 20 metres would enhance port’s capacity from the existing 108.50 million metric tonnes per annum to 270.50 million tonnes per annum by the end of 2023.
The deep draught facility will enable to handle cape size vessels at Paradip Port.
