Date:08/07/2008 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2008/07/08/stories/2008070850950700.htm

Back Box terminal mooted at NMPT

Our Bureau

New Delhi, July 7 The Minister of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu, has suggested considering setting up a container and LNG terminal at the New Mangalore port.

According to an official statement, “The Minister directed that in view of the growth in container traffic, steps should be taken to plan a container terminal at the New Mangalore Port.”

He said that preliminary discussions should be initiated with various oil PSUs and companies for exploring the possibility of setting up of an LNG terminal at NMPT.

The Minister said this at a meeting held here today to review the performance of the New Mangalore Port.

The rail-bound traffic in the New Mangalore Port has grown by 105 per cent from 30.18 lakh tonnes in 2006-07 to 61.85 lakh tonnes in 2007-08 There has also been a steady growth in container traffic which has risen by about 24 per cent in 2007-08 over 2006-07.

The traffic in the NMPT has grown from 32 million tonnes in 2006-07 to 36 million tonnes in 2007-08.

Mr Baalu was also informed that the important scheme of capacity addition of five million tonnes to the port with the commissioning of Deep Draft Multi Purpose General Cargo Berth No.14 has been completed under the National Maritime Development Programme.