Kolkata, Apr 4 (IANS): The Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) handled 57.88 million tonnes of cargo in 2017-18 (FY18), achieving a 13.61 per cent growth over 50.95 MT handled in the previous fiscal, an official said on Wednesday.

Its operating income, excluding dredging subsidy, increased to Rs 2,046.09 crore during 2017-18, up 15.06 per cent from Rs 1,778.26 crore in the previous year.

The port trust said its operating margin (excluding dredging) in the last fiscal increased to 41 per cent against 37.07 per cent in 2016-17.

"Our Haldia Dock Complex handled 40.49 MT cargo in 2017-18 compared with 34.14 MT in the previous fiscal, recording the highest growth of 18.61 per cent among major ports in India, while Kolkata Dock System handled an all-time high cargo of 17.39 MT in 2017-18 as against 16.81 MT in 2016-17, achieving about 3.45 per cent growth," KoPT Chairman Vinit Kumar told reporters here.

Overall growth in cargo handling was 13.61 per cent, much higher than the average growth rate of 4.79 per cent clocked by Indian major ports, he said.

Kumar said the company signed an MoU with Cochin Shipyard for operations and maintainance of ship repair facility at its Netaji Subhas Dock.