Visakha Container Terminal has achieved a landmark throughput of 212,824 TEUs in the calendar year 2011, registering an excellent 68% growth over the previous year.

The year 2011 was indeed a remarkable one for ‘Gateway Vizag’ with new commodities and avenues boosting traffic growth. Besides organic growth in its burgeoning hinterland, ICD traffic from Nagpur and Delhi has been finding its way to and through VCT, while transhipments from Kolkata, Haldia and Paradip were all in the process of getting successfully established at the terminal.

With such expeditious growth also came a few infrastructure-related challenges in the supply chain. Some of these have already been overcome with the commissioning of four new RTGCs and two additional reach stackers. Besides, an additional container yard has been developed, thereby increasing the storage area.

The four existing CFSs just about manage to cope with the present traffic. Hence, additional CFSs are planned to come up in 2012. These include facilities being set up by prominent PSUs like Balmer Lawrie and CONCOR, as also by a few private players.

While the terminal continues to evolve, it has simultaneously maintained environmentally sustainable economic growth, coupled with priority to safety and security. This is exemplified by VCT bagging the "Port Terminal Environment, Health & Safety Award" at the South East CEO Conclave 2011 for the second year in a row.

Throughput is poised to grow further next fiscal, with several industries in the hinterland expected to commence production in the first quarter of 2012-13. Transhipment and ICD volumes too are expected to increase. This has led shipping lines to plan new services.

Also, two new quay cranes are scheduled for delivery in February 2012.

(Sourced from Exim News Service)