Vizag Port handles record throughput, pegs at 50.1-mn tonnes

Visakhapatnam: The Visakhapatnam Port, which became the first in the country to handle 50 million tonnes of cargo last year, crossed the 50-million-tonne-mark again this year on Tuesday, with a month still to go for the completion of the financial year, says the port press release.


According to a release issued on Wednesday, 501.51 lakh tonnes of cargo was handled in the port till 6 a.m on Wednesday, compared to 450.41 lakh tonnes handled during the corresponding period last year.


The target for the current financial year has been set at 55 million tonnes. Last year (2004-2005), the port handled 501.47 lakh tonnes of cargo, the highest ever achieved by a domestic port.


A record quantity of 1,221 tonnes of granular urea was unloaded on February 28 at East Quay - 1 berth from m.v. Kallisto, surpassing the previous best of 11,025 tonnes achieved on September 27, 2004. The cargo was imported by Krishak Bharati Co-operative Ltd, Noida. Sravan Shipping Services was the stevedores and J.M Baxi and Company, the steamer agents.