Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT), which includes Kolkata Dock System and Haldia Dock Complex, has achieved its highest-ever cargo throughput in FY 2018-19 by handling 63.7 million tonnes (mt), an impressive 10 per cent growth over the 57.9 mt it handled in 2017-18. KoPT is now the 5th largest in terms of cargo handling among the Major Ports and the second fastest growing port in the country, highlighted a release.
Haldia Dock Complex too handled its highest-ever throughput of 45.2 mt during the fiscal, surpassing the previous high of 43.6 mt in 2007-08. Compared to last year’s handling of 40.5 mt, this is an impressive growth of 11.6 per cent. Incidentally, Kolkata Dock System also posted its highest traffic handling of 18.5 mt in 2018-19, up 6.6 per cent compared to the previous year’s 17.4 mt.
In container traffic, KoPT surpassed 8 lakh TEUs of cumulative handling. Kolkata Dock ended the FY 2018-19 with 6.51 lakh TEUs and Haldia Dock Complex contributed 1.78 lakh TEUs, resulting in Kolkata Port handling 8.29 lakh TEUs cumulatively.
The year gone by has taken the port from strength to strength at a time when the average growth across the Major Ports is about 3 per cent. New initiatives such as the calling of Capesize vessels with deployment of floating cranes at Sagar and Sandheads, large scale capacity addition in terms of increasing the cargo stacking area, focus on quicker turnaround of vessels and faster evacuation of cargo from the docks has enabled KoPT to achieve this milestone. The port, which is in its 150th year, has displayed the resilience, commitment and ability to ride out all challenges and uncertainties, as well as the stiff competition to serve its customers in the vast hinterland, the release emphasised.
Mr Vinit Kumar, Chairman, KoPT, congratulated the trade partners, employees, feeder operators, shipping lines, stevedores, handling agents, importers, exporters and all the other members of Kolkata’s shipping fraternity on this achievement and also appreciated their valuable support, the release added.
