Kolkata port handles highest ever cargo traffic

Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (SMP) has created an all-time high record by handling 54.254 million tonnes (MT) of traffic during from April 2022 to January 2023 which represents a 14.75% increase over the same 10-month period of the previous year, SMP chairman  PL Haranadh said on Friday.

SMP had handled 47.282 million tonnes of cargo between April 2021 and Jan 2022.

Haranadh further stated that SMP Kolkata is now ranked 5th in cargo handling amongst India’s major ports during April 2022 to January 2023 up from its 6th position during April 2021 to January 2022.

The Haldia Dock Complex handled 40.162 MT of cargo during the last 10 months this year while Kolkata Dock System (KDS) handled 14.092 MT.

During April 2022 to January 2023, SMP, Kolkata handled rail-borne traffic of 28.823 MT registering a growth of 15.41%.

Mr Haranadh emphasized that major commodities which attributed to this growth of traffic and enabled SMP Kolkata to achieve this feat, include LPG, Vegetable Oil, other liquid, Manganese Ore, Iron & Steel, Pulses/Peas, Coking Coal and container etc. at Kolkata Dock System and POL (Crude), LPG, Other Ore, Coking Coal, Non Coking Coal, Fly ash and Lime Stone etc at Haldia Dock Complex.

“This success has been achieved due to growth of diverse cargo, arrival of new and additional cargo coupled with multi-faceted user-friendly measures like better services, improved facilities, cost-effective and customer-friendly charges and all-out efforts of the employees of the port.,” he explained.

SMP Kolkata is expected to handle more than 65 million tonnes of cargo by the end of 2022-23 against 58.175 million tonnes of cargo handled during 2021-22, Haranadh added.