India’s dozen state-owned ports handled a combined 600.625 million tonnes (mt) of cargo during April to February of FY21, 6.61 per cent lower than the 643.104 mt handled during the same period last year.

Except Paradip Port Trust and Mormugao Port Trust, the other 10 port trusts continue to suffer from volume declines triggered by the coronavirus-induced demand destruction. However, the extent of decline year-on-year has been reducing since July, suggesting a recovery in external trade, according to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

During February, Paradip Port Trust and Deendayal Port Trust (Kandla) crossed the 100 mt in cargo handling for the 11 months of FY21.

Deendayal Port Trust has handled 104.616 mt (111.363mt) between April and February, 6.06 per cent lower. Paradip Port Trust handled 102.907 mt (102.627 mt), a paltry 0.27% more, the Ministry said. In containers, the 12 ports handled a combined 8.654 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) (9.051 TEUs) between April and February, 4.39 per cent drop.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, India’s biggest state-owned container port, handled 4.149 million TEUs (4.621 million TEUs).

Iron ore including pellets continue to prop-up cargo volumes with the 12 ports handling 62.941 mt (49.988 mt), posting a growth of 25.91 per cent.

Thermal and steam coal volumes declined 16.72 per cent to 68.719 mt (82.512 mt).

Mormugao Port Trust handled 19.288 mt (14.731 mt) of cargo during the 11 months, growing at 30.93 per cent.