BL reported that new Mangalore Port has registered a 10.81% growth in cargo handling in the Q1 of the current financial year. The port handled 9.02 million tonne of traffic during the Q1 of 2009-10 against 8.14 million tonne in the corresponding period of 2008-09.

Mr P Tamilvanan chairman of New Mangalore Port Trust attributed this growth to the increase in handling of cargoes such as iron ore, maize and containers among others. The port handled 2.1 million tonne of iron ore fines during the Q1 of the current fiscal against 1.64 million tonne in the corresponding period of the previous fiscal, a growth of 28%.

During the quarter, the port handled maize cargo to the tune of 0.1 million tonne. Fertilizer cargo witnessed a growth of 55% during the quarter with the port handling 0.2 million tonne of cargo.

The port handled 8,164 TEUs of containers during the period against 7,563 TEUs. In terms of quantity, the port handled 0.1 million tonne of container cargo. The volume of edible oil handled at the port increased to 0.1 million tonne. Crude oil handling increased to 3 million tonne and POL handling reached 1.3 million tonne.

(Sourced from Business Line)