KoPT registers 15 per cent growth in traffic

Kolkata, Feb 3: The Kolkata Dock Systems had posted an estimated 15 per cent traffic growth at 9.6 million tonnes till January 2007 as compared to 8.1 mt in the same period of last year, a KoPT release said.

The release said KoPT expected that the total traffic volume by March 31 would reach about 12 mt.

In 2005-06, the Kolkata Dock Systems (KDS) had handled a total of 10.8 mt. In the beginning of this fiscal, it was felt the throughput might not exceed 8 mt or so.

KoPT apprehended lower volume of traffic for the KDS as the crude lighterage operation at the sandheads was scheduled to start.

However, the pipeline project had been delayed.

It also added that throughput of dry bulk traffic, both imports and exports, too has registered an impressive growth at the KDS, particularly the imports of pulses and wheat and exports of iron ore. The log import has dropped by about 60,000/70,000 tonnes but the decline is considered insignificant compared to growth in the volumes of other traffic.

In 2005-06, the container throughput was a little more than two lakh TEUs. The throughput so far this year has been 1.96 lakh TEUs, and will reach 2.3 lakh-2.4 lakh TEUs by March, it said.

UNI