Mangalore: Record traffic handled at NMPT - Tamilvanan

Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (VM)

Mangalore, Apr 4: The New Mangalore Port in its current fiscal year 2012-13 handled a record traffic of 37.04 million tons as against 32.94 million tons for the year 2011-12, with a growth of 12.43 % over the last year, which is the highest quantity of traffic ever handled at the Port, Said Dr P Tamilvanan.

He addressed the media at an annual conference of the New Mangalore Port Trust held on Thursday April 4.

The port has also achieved 2.88% growth over the target fixed by the ministry of shipping. The growth is due to the increase in coal dealings, POL products, coal, and maize. However, in the case of LPG and iron pellets (KIOCL), the port has not received as much growth as compared to last year.

Speaking about the records achieved by the port, Tamilvanan said it has handled the highest quantity of coal during 2012-13 surpassing the earlier record of 4.2 million tons in 2011-12, highest export traffic of 27.32 million tons, new cargo – liquid glucose from Haveri and machinery from Shimoga started moving through the port, large passenger vessel MV Brilliance of Seas (LOA 293.3 mtrs) handled, large bulk cargo vessel carrying South African Coal with parcel size of 1,01,604 metric tons was handled in the year, 14 gearless container vessels handled, 10,196 passengers in 15 cruise vessels handled by the port and several others.

Financial Highlights

For the 8th consecutive year, the port net surplus is likely to cross Rs 100 crore, said the chairman adding, "The port trust board has approved the proposal for creating a general insurance fund in connection to the port assets with an initial corpus of Rs 10 crore."

Briefing in detail, Tamilvanan said out of the total assets worth Rs 820 crore, about Rs 178 crore worth assets are insured. They are paying a premium of Rs 56 lac per year and hence the proposal of general insurance was made.

Development projects

Commenting on the development projects of the port, he said a new berth number 13 is being constructed at a cost of Rs 79 crore and is almost completed. The port has plans for a new multipurpose berth no 18 for handling general cargo and containers, setting up of facilities for bulk cement terminal by Ambuja Cements at a cost of Rs 95 crore. The port has also undertaken the work of improving the port roads and so far a sum of Rs 88.75 crore has been spent on roads and storage sheds, he said.