Cochin Port registered 3.34 % fall in cargo

KOCHI: The cargo handled by Cochin Port Ltd registered a 3.34 % fall to touch 15.23 million metric tones (MT) during 2008-09.

The shortfall is mainly attributable to the fall in the uptake of crude oil by Kochi Refineries Ltd which imported 8,211,820 tones during the year, registering a fall of 6.21 % as compared to the previous year.

The export of finished petroleum products by KRL also fell by 10.36 % to 2,279,963 tonnes. However, there was a 6.88% increase in the handling of traditional cargo and containers, which touched 4,471,796 tones.

Container traffic increased by 2.66 % to touch 2, 60,473 TEUs. The economic slowdown resulted in lower rate of growth of container traffic in the second half of the year. The Port also handled 36 cruise vessels during the year under review.

During the year the CPT also became India���s first e-Port. A state of the art Vessel Traffic Management System was commissioned for advanced navigational safety and security.