NMPT port handling rises by more than 15 percent

Mangalore, Aug 25 (UNI) The New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) witnessed a 15.85 per cent rise in port handling to 14.14 million tonnes during the current financial year, compared to last year.

A NMPT's sources informed that the container traffic saw a 32 per cent increase due to the timely marketing efforts made by the Port.

The additions to the infrastructure facilities like purchase of Reach Stacker, extension and hardening of container stackyard and increasing the Reefer Plug points also attributed to this rise.

Port had handled 1.95 million tonnes of railway traffic as against 0.8 million tonnes last year, showing an increase of 124 per cent .

The NMPT sources said that to synchronize with the commissioning of HMRD line on May 5, 2006, Port made all out efforts to renovate all the five railway lines, laying platforms and installed high power tower lights which enabled round the clock operations. Also four more lines were added by M/s. Kudremukh.

All these railway related activities in and out of Mangalore Port recorded impressive increase in traffic resulting a drastic reduction in the cost of cargo movement from New Mangalore Port to the Hinterland.

The sources said that Hassan- Mangalore distance has now considerably reduced to 260 kms from 1038 kms., thereby the freight had come down to Rs 229 per tonne from Rs 727 per tonne. The freight for Davangere was now Rs 349 (old Rate Rs 595), Hospet Rs 487 (Rs 595), Shimoga Rs 316 (Rs 710) and Mysore Rs 290(Rs 677).

UNI