Cargo traffic handled by major ports in the country witnessed an annual rise of 3.2 per cent to 68.06 million tons (MT) in May this year. These ports had handled a total of 65.94-million tons in May 2022. During May 2023, the major ports handled a total 68.06 MT of cargo, against 65.95 MT handled during the corresponding period of last year, a year-on-year growth of 3.20 per cent, Indian Ports Association (IPA) said in a statement.

There are 12 major ports, — Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar), Tuticorin (V O Chidambaranar), Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.Of these, eight ports witnessed a surge in the cargo traffic handled by them during the previous month while the remaining four saw cargo traffic at their facilities declining on a year-on-year basis in May.

Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP), Kolkata Port (Including Haldia) registered the maximum cargo growth at 10.01 year-on-year in May, followed by Visakhapatnam Port at 9.61 per cent and Mormugao Port at 9.43 per cent and Paradip Port at 7.77 per cent, IPA said.Besides, Paradip Port with 7.77 per cent, JNPA with 7.13 per cent, Cochin Port with 6.86 per cent, New Mangalore Port with 3.88 per cent and Mumbai Port with 0.77 per cent also logged positive growth during May 2023, as against a year ago.

On the other hand, the negative growth was witnessed at Kamarajar Port, Deendayal Port, Chennai Port and V O Chidambaranar Port with cargo traffic at Kamarajar seeing the highest fall of 8.75 per cent during the reporting month, as compared to May 2022, IPA said.