The volume of containers handled by major ports in India surged 9.5 percent year-over-year in fiscal 2010-11, the Indian Ports Association said.
Total container traffic through the 13 state-owned ports was estimated at 7.54 million 20-foot equivalent units, compared with 6.89 million TEUs the previous year.
The tonnage of box volume climbed 12.6 percent to 114 million tons from 101 million tons.
Jawaharlal Nehru (Nhava Sheva), which handles more than 60 percent of the country’s total containerized traffic, reported its highest-ever throughput of 4.27 million TEUs, up 5 percent from 4.06 million TEUs in 2009-10.
Volume at Chennai, the second-largest container gateway, jumped 26 percent to 1.52 million TEUs from 1.21 million TEUs.
Other smaller container ports also posted modest gains in traffic on a year-on-year basis.
According to the IPA, overall tonnage at major ports grew 1.5 percent in 2010-11 to 570 million tons from 561 million tons but fell short of the Shipping Ministry’s target of 600 million tons.
Kandla was the top cargo handler with throughput of 82 million tons.
The Journal of Commerce Online