The Hindu Business Line : Vizag port may find target difficult to meet

The Visakhapatnam port has handled 34.322 million tonnes of cargo till date against 33.842 million tonnes during the corresponding last year, but there is a drastic fall in the export of iron ore, by 1.5 million tonnes this year, which may make it difficult for the port to attain the target set by the Union Shipping Ministry (60 million tonnes) for the current year. However, port sources say, efforts are being made to make up for the loss of iron ore by attracting other cargoes.

Visakhapatnam, the number one port in the country for the past six years in terms of cargo handled, may still, with difficulty, retain the distinction this year, but the target seems too far away right now, unless there is a dramatic improvement in iron ore arrivals during the remaining period. From the beginning of the year, the port has been facing the problem of reduction in ore for export, due to delay in finalisation of contracts with the Japanese buyers and also due to diversion of ore from Karnataka to other ports due to steep increase in rail freight, it is said.

As the port is dependent mainly on bulk cargo, this is quite a blow. Till now, the port has exported 85,97,705 tonnes of iron ore against 1,01,82,334 tonnes during the corresponding period last year, a shortfall of more than 1.5 million tonnes.