• Record quantity of 7.74 lac tonnes of iron ore files handled
• New deep draft multi-purpose general cargo berth begins operation
• New cargos like yellow peas, clay, hydraulic excavator and rubber products handled at Port

Mangalore, Apr 2: The New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) is in news again. With a track record of creating new records consistently in performance, the NMPT has achieved new heights in various spheres.

During the current fiscal year 2005-06, NMPT handled a record traffic of 34.45 million tonnes as against 33.89 million tonnes handled during the previous year, thereby registering a growth rate of 1.65 per cent. The net surplus crossing 100 crore is the first time in the history of NMPT.

NMPT chairman Tamilvanan who disclosed this voyage of records to the press on Saturday said that the number of vessels handled at the port has increased from 1057 to 1080. The increased volume of traffic has been due to the handling of POL Crude products, fertilizers, coal and containerized cargo.

The container traffic also shoed an upward trend with 1, 48,952 tonnes of containerized cargo being handled as against 1, 36,127 tonnes in the previous year.

The total imports in the port have increased from 155.12 lac tonnes to 165.22 lac tonnes. Among the imports, timber import has increased from 2.66 lac tonnes to 2.70 lac tonnes.  And coal from 3.15 lac tonnes to 5.13 lac tonnes.

In total exports is recorded at 179/27 lac tonnes from 183.79 lac tonnes. Among the export, the export of iron ore concentrates and pellets has come down from 46.98 lac tonnes to 34. 57 lac tonnes and iron ore files and lumps have increased from 55.77 to 58.47 lac tonnes.

The development of cruise lounge at NMPT and development of LNG terminal is also proposed, Tamilvanan said.

The port handled four cruise vessels, he added.