Cargo handling, including container traffic movement, across India\u2019s major ports has seen a 4 per cent rise y-o-y to 209 million tonnes (mt) in April-June of this fiscal year (Q1FY25), primarily on account of higher coking coal imports and an increase in container handling. In the year-ago quarter, traffic across these 12 ports stood at 200.55 mt. <\/p>\n
Traffic was up 6 per cent sequentially in June to 69 mt, compared with May, when it was 64.69 mt, according to data from the Indian Ports Association, accessed by businessline<\/i>. <\/p>\n
India has 12 major ports: Kolkata, Paradip, Vizag, Ennore, Chennai, VO Chidambaranar, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mormugoa, Mumbai, JNPA, and Deendayal. <\/p>\n
Coking coal imports stood at 15.83 mt for April-June, up 6 per cent, from 14.9 mt in the year-ago period. Paradip port saw the highest coking coal shipments (4.3 mt).<\/p>\n
Container cargo movement saw an over 5 per cent rise in tonnage for the first quarter, while in terms of TEUs (twenty equivalent units), the segment saw a 9 per cent rise quarter-on-quarter.<\/p>\n
Iron ore exports were down 2.25 per cent, with a reported slowdown in China, the prime buyer. Iron ore shipments were down to 13.6 mt for April-June 2024, as against 13.9 mt in the year-ago period. <\/p>\n
Interestingly, finished fertiliser imports saw a major decline, down by over 31 per cent to 1.74 mt. <\/p>\n
\nPort-wise break-up
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As per the data, three ports \u2014 Kolkata and Haldia dock systems, which together come under the Syamaprasad Mookerjee Port, New Mangalore and Mormugao witnessed a drop in cargo traffic. <\/p>\n
In the case of Kolkata dock, the decline was to the tune of 10 per cent or 3.6 mt, in Q1FY25 compared with 4.0 mt in the year-ago period. For the Haldia dock, there was over a 6 per cent y-o-y decline, or 10.6 mt for April\u2013June, compared with 11.3 mt in the year-ago period. <\/p>\n
For New Mangalore, the cargo traffic in Q1FY25 was at 10.8 mt, down 4.5 per cent. In the year-ago period, the cargo handled was 11.3 mt. <\/p>\n
In Mormugoa, traffic was down 4.7 mt, 6 per cent y-o-y; as against the year-ago period when it was 5 mt. <\/p>\n
Amongst other ports, Vizag saw the highest increase in cargo traffic handled \u2014 up nearly 9 per cent for Q1FY25 \u2014whereas Chennai saw an over 8 per cent increase in cargo handling. <\/p>\n