New Mangalore Port achieves new records

Mangalore, February 17: The 10th cruise vessel of the current financial year 2010-11, M.V. Clipper Odyssey called at the New Mangalore Port on Saturday, February 12 with 135 tourists from USA.

Sixty-one passengers opted for ground tour and visited the tourist areas in and around Mangalore and sailed to Goa on the same day. The Port has witnessed a spurt in cruise traffic by handling 10 vessels so far with 4929 passengers out of which 3369 opted for ground tour.

They had enjoyed the scenic beauty of DK District and the hospitality extended to them and expressed their happiness over their short stay at this coastal city.

The Port has achieved a record in the handling of coal by handling 45,180 tonnes in a day on February 10, 2011 (MV Volumnia) surpassing the earlier record of 40,701 tonnes handled on November 4, 2010( MV Ribbon).

The coal traffic at NMPT has steadily grown over the past 6 years. From 3.15 lakh tonnes of coal handled during 2004-05, the same has grown to 27.90 lakh tonnes during 2009-10.

Kota Nazim - 7th Main Line container vessel from East Africa (Port Matwara) called at New Mangalore Port on Sunday, February 13. The vessel started its operation of unloading 281 boxes of Raw cashew for distribution among various cashew processing units situated in and around Mangalore and sailed out next day.

The vessel also took 132 TEUs of export containers with granite, fish meal & fish oil, which is a record. The advantage of Main Line vessel directly calling at the Port is the lesser transit time and lesser handling cost. It will take only 9 days between Mangalore and East Africa whereas vessels via Colombo will take 21 days.

The Exporters can utilize the advantage of moving their export cargo since the vessel is touching Singapore and Far East countries in the return voyage M/s Seamaster Shipping Logistics Pvt. Ltd. (Seaways group) are the agents of the vessel and M/s HML Agencies the Stevedores and C&F agents.

The port is witnessing upward growth in container traffic by handling 35,000 TEUs during the current year (as on date) which is an alltime record with a growth rate of 24.39%

The Port has handled 5 heavy consignments for Bharathi Shipyard weighing 2000 tonnes. The giant project cargo imported from South Korea has been brought in a special vessel MV Dongbang Giant No.3 on Saturday, February 12.

The cargo has been unloaded using Ro-Ro method in a unique operation by M/s Delta Infralogistics (World Wide Ltd,), Mangalore. M/s Seastar Shipping Agencies are the Steamer Agents of the vessel.

As a part of business development, NMPT will be conducting a Mega Trade Meet at Madikeri on next Saturday, February 19 in association with FKCCI, Bangalore and Kodagu District Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Coffee exporters from Madikeri, Kushalnagar & Chikmagalur and other exporters and importers from Hassan region are expected to participate in the meet.

Visvesvaraya Industrial Trade Centre, Bangalore will be conducting one day Export Awareness Programme at Shimoga on February 22 in association with District Industries Centre (DIC), Shimoga, FKCCI, Bangalore and Shimoga Chamber of Commerce & Industry.

The purpose is to educate the exporters on the formalities for export, foreign trade policy and cargo handling facilities available at NMPT.

P Tamilvanan, Chairman, NMPT, while expressing happiness over the notable achievements of the Port during the last one week has congratulated all the Port labour, employees, officers, Trade Union Leaders and the Users for their co-operation in bringing laurels to the Port.