One more feather in cap: Paradip Port surpasses previous record, unloads 53 rakes on April 4

By Pravakara Sahoo

PARADIP, APRIL 5: Paradip Port Authority began FY 2023-24 with a bang by unloading 53 rakes on April 4, 2023, surpassing previous best of 52 achieved on February 1, 2023.

Shri PL Haranadh, Chairman, PPA congratulated Team PPA on this outstanding performance.

Paradip Port in Odisha has handled its highest ever annual traffic of 135.36 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2022-23 financial year (FY) against 116.13 MMT during the previous fiscal. Thus, the port also recorded the highest ever growth of 19.2 million tonnes (16.56 per cent) of traffic in a single financial year in its history.

“The growth in the cargo handling achieved by Paradip Port is the highest among all ports, both major and non-major, of the country. The port has contributed 19.2 million metric tonnes (25.6 per cent) out of the total growth in cargo handling achieved by all major ports during the FY 2022-23),” says Paradip Port chairman P.L. Haranadh.

The increased performance in cargo handling has been driven by various system improvement measures undertaken by the port. Improved systems of operation at mechanized coal handling plants to reduce idle time between rake unloading has resulted in highest handling of thermal coal. The engine load system introduced for loading of railway rakes has reduced the rake turn round by approximately 17 per cent and enabled the port to handle 12.5 per cent of additional rakes.

Stating that Paradip Port offers the world’s cheapest cargo handling charge (as low as Rs 13 per tonne), the chairman said the port has frozen its tariff for cargo handling at the level of 2022 for next 3 years as a part of its business development initiatives.

“Our revenue earnings in FY 2022-23  stood at Rs 22,059 crore and our operating expenditure was estimated at Rs 779. We registered an operating surplus of  1,279 crore,” Mr Haranadh.

The port, with 289 MMT rated capacity, is poised to cross the 300 MMT capacity mark in the next three years with the commissioning of Western Dock project.

The West Dock project with 25 MMT capacity has been awarded to JSPL. The said project will be developed on public-private-partnership (PPP) mode and entail an investment of Rs 3,000 crore.