Lower Iron ore loading hits cargo throughput at Gangavaram port

Gangavaram Port, the country's deepest-draft port near
Visakhapatnam, has fallen short of its cargo throughput target owing primarily
to a slide in iron ore loadings last fiscal.

The port managed to notch up a cargo throughput of 14
million tonnes, as against 13.93 mt handled in the previous year.

The port has attributed the flat growth primarily to a dip
in iron ore traffic, which fell to 2.14 mt from 2.58 mt, accounting for a share
of about 15 per cent of its cargo basket.

Overall, India's iron ore exports sank by nearly 17 mt, or
30.39%, the major ports handled 60 mt of the commodity last year (87 mt).

However, Coal continues to be the mainstay of Gangavaram
port. It handled 9.95 mt of coal during the year (9.52 mt), accounting for over
70 per cent of its throughput, according to an official release.