NEW DELHI: Cargo handled at India’s dozen state-owned major ports soared 29.52% in April to 61.528 million tonnes (mt) from 47.506 mt a year ago.

With the exception of New Mangalore Port Trust which posted a volume decline of 3.84%, all the other ports got off to a solid start in the first month of fiscal 2022, reversing the fall in traffic seen in FY21 due to the coronavirus-induced demand compression.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), India’s biggest state-owned container port located near Mumbai, reported a 60% rise in volumes to 6.325 mt from 3.953 mt last year, according to the ministry of ports, shipping and waterways.

Chennai Port Trust grew by 60.18% to 3.910 mt from 2.441 mt a year earlier. Kamarajar Port Ltd handled 3.198 mt in April, a growth of 53.53% on the 2.083 mt handled last year. Mormugao Port Trust handled 2.363 mt in April from 1.557 mt, posting a growth of 51.77%. V O Chidambaranar Port Trust grew by 42.05% to 3.263 mt from 2.297 mt a year earlier. Cochin Port Trust handled 2.591 mt of cargo in April from 1.874 mt last year, a growth of 38.26%. Paradip Port Trust handled 11.207 mt, a growth of 30.86% on the 8.564 mt last year. Kolkata Port Trust handled 4.871 mt from 3.741 mt in April last year, posting a growth of 30.21%. Deendayal Port Trust handled 10.452 mt in April from 8.674 mt last year, a growth of 20.5%. Mumbai Port Trust handled 4.677 mt from 4.088 mt in April last year, with a growth of 14.41%. Visakhapatnam Port Trust handled 5.570 mt from 5.009 mt last year, posting a growth of 11.20%. New Mangalore Port Trust handled 3.101 mt from 3.225 mt last year, a decline of 3.84%. Iron ore including pellets recorded the highest growth in April of 96.51% at 6.530 mt from 3.323 mt last year.

Container cargo jumped 73.80% in April to 942,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 542,000 TEUs last year.

The 12 ports handled 8.519 mt of thermal and steam coal from 7.842 mt last year, a growth of 8.63%.

Coking coal volumes rose 10.37% to 4.726 mt from 4.282 mt last year.

Crude oil, petroleum products, LPG/LNG cargo jumped 6.71% to 17.420 mt from 16.324 mt last year, the ministry said.