Indian ports increase coal throughput

Thermal coal imports at major Indian ports rose almost 12% between April and November 2015, according to figures from the Indian Ports Association. Imports of metallurgical coal were also up by 2.5%.

Thermal coal imports totaled almost 63.2 million t over the period compared to 56.5 million t in 2014. The Port of Paradip in the eastern state of Odisha handled the most with throughput of just under 20 million t compared to 19.6 million t in the previous year. Port of Kamarajar (formerly known as Ennore) in the southeastern state of Tamil Nadu and just 24 km north of Chennai, India’s fifth largest city, came in second with throughput of 16.3 million t compared to 15.9 million t in 2014.

However, it was the Port of Kandla in the western state of Gujarat that recorded the largest increase in thermal coal imports with throughput jumping over 3 million t from just under 6.8 million t in 2014 to over 9.8 million t in 2015.

On the metallurgical coal side, imports rose from 20.9 million t between April and November 2014 to 21.4 million t over the same period in 2015. Paradip again led the pack with throughput of 5.8 million t – up from 5.1 million t in 2014. Port of Mormugao in the state of Goa took second spot with imports jumping almost 1 million t from 4.5 million t in 2014 to 5.5 million t in 2015.

Overall, Indian ports registered a 3.32% increase in volume handled. This figures masks significant differences in performance, however, with Mormugao boasting an impressive 27.06% increase in traffic, while just down the coast, traffic at New Mangalore in the state of Karnataka fell by 8.5%.

Figures from the Indian Ports Association cover the thirteen major Indian ports responsible for handling about three quarters of India’s seaborne cargo traffic.

Written by Jonathan Rowland.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcoal.com/handling/20012016/indian-ports-increase-coal-throughput-2016-78/