Media Release
Mangalore, Jan 2: Main line container vessel of M/s Pacific International Lines (PIL) – M V KOTA HAULS from East Africa (Port Matwara) called at New Mangalore Port recently. This is the first main line vessel which called at the Port during the current financial year.
The vessel commenced its operation by unloading 306 boxes of raw cashew for distribution among various cashew processing units situated in and around Mangalore and after completion sailed out.
The entire operation took a record time of only 11 hrs due to the efficient handling by the stevedores and cargo handling workers.The advantage of main line vessel directly calling at the port is the reduced transit time and economical handling cost. The voyage from East Africa to Mangalore will be only 9-10 days whereas vessels via Colombo will take 28 days.
“Main line vessels directly calling at the port has resulted in upward growth of container traffic”, said Dr P Tamilvanan, chairman while requesting all the MLOs and users to make use of the advantageous position of lesser transit time and lesser handling cost. The main line operators while expressing their happiness over the performance of the vessel at NMPT is keen in calling more main line vessels and few more main line vessels are expected to call NMPT shortly. M/s Seamaster Shipping Logistics (Seaways group) are the agents of the vessel and M/s Delta Marine Logistics, Ltd, the Stevedores.
The traffic at the port during the current year shows upward trend. The port has so far handled 27.01 million tons of cargo as against 24.23 million tons handled during the corresponding period of previous year with a growth rate of 11.49%. It is significant to note that NMPT is among few ports which is showing upward traffic growth during the current year. The container traffic is also gaining momentum with the arrival of mainline vessels and is expected to grow further with the onset of the forthcoming coffee season. So far 35,282 TEUs are handled during the first nine months of the current fiscal year and has recorded a growth rate of 3.26%.
Dr P Tamilvanan, chairman appreciated the sincere efforts of the officers, employees, cargo handling workers, trade union leaders, trustees port users and all the stake holders for bringing laurels to the port.