KOCHI: Cargo throughput at Kochi Port has jumped nearly 29 per cent between April and September this year.

For the same period, almost the same quantum of increase has been seen in container movement through Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal (RGCT), now operated by India Gateway Terminals Limited (IGTL).

Kochi Port handled 77.94 lakh tonnes of cargo between April and September 2006. During the same period last year, the cargo throughput was 60.65 lakh tonnes.

Container throughput at the IGTL stood at 1,14,587 TEUs between April and September while during the same period last year, the throughput was just over 92,000 TEUs. Chairman of the Port Trust N. Ramachandran said that cargo throughput at the Port had been stagnating for a while and that this year's performance is an indication of the way things are shaping up for the Port, which has been trying to woo more cargo through various steps including reduced port-handling charges.

Mr. Ramachandran said that the Port had received good response to its move to cut charges at the Port and to end practices that turned cargo operations and transport to and from the Port costly in comparison to the neighbouring ports. Besides, he said, new cargo items were being wooed to Kochi.

Timber and wheat are among cargo, which show promise for the Port. Earlier this year, Kochi was declared a deep-draft Port.

The Port Trust Chairman also said that Kochi had turned out to be a favourite destination with major cruise operators across the globe. During the ensuing cruise season, Kochi would host some of the most prominent cruise liners in business, he said. A total of 1,225 vessels, including 26 cruise vessels, visited Kochi during 2005-06. Cargo traffic through the Port was 139.38 lakh tonnes during 2005-06 as against 141.03 lakh tonnes in the previous financial year.

Container traffic for the last financial year was 2.03 lakh TEUs.

The Port had also recorded an average pre-berthing detention time of 13.7 hours, an average turnaround time of 2.6 days and an average output per berth day to the tune of 7,767 metric tonnes against the previous figures of 11.0 hours, 2.6 days and 8,613 metric tonnes, respectively.

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