New Mangalore Port sets record in container traffic

Mangalore, Jun 10 (UNI) The New Mangalore Port has achieved a record in handling containers, when M V Tiger Stream, container feeder line of M/s Bengal Tiger Lines operating between Mangalore and Colombo, called at the Port on June six.

In a release here today, New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) Traffic Manager Gopalakrishna said a record number of 1,186 TEUs per voyage were handled from the vessel, surpassing the earlier record of 786 TEUs handled from the vessel M V TIGER POWER, which called at the port on September nine, 2006. This was the highest number of containers ever handled at the port in a single voyage, he said.

Out of the 1,186 TEUs, 483 TEUs were import containers with raw cashew and 702 were export containers stuffed with reefer, coffee, granite blocks, fish meal, cashew kernels and machinery. The vessel, which directly called at the port from Colombo, sailed back after the operation.

The container traffic at the port was showing an upward growth during the beginning of the financial year 2008-09 by handling 5,556 TEUs as on today as against 3,097 TEUs handled during the corresponding period last year, with a growth rate of 79.40 per cent, he said.

Meanwhile, NMPT Chairman P Tamilvanan attributed the growth of container traffic at the port to the pro-active marketing efforts made by the NMPT and the infrastructure created for the smooth handling of containers, coupled with commencement of new main line vessels from East Africa and West Africa.

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