Paradip: Overcoming the COVID-19 challenges and problems arising out of cyclone Amphan, the Paradip port in Odisha has achieved a record of 114.55 million metric tonne of cargo handling in the 2020-21 fiscal, an official said Friday.
Its profit before tax (PBT) stood at Rs 722 crore in FY21, up by 6.02 per cent from Rs 681 crore in the previous year, he said.
The facility on the east coast registered a 1.65 per cent growth in cargo handling in FY21, Paradip Port Trust chairman Vinit Kumar told reporters.
The port had handled 112.68 mmt of cargo in the 2019- 20 financial year.
The achievement in the 2020-21 fiscal was noteworthy as two of its berths were not available due to mechanisation work, he said, adding that the port handled over 100 mmt of cargo for the fourth consecutive year.
Speaking on the operational parameters, Kumar said the Paradip port’s berth occupancy has marginally improved to 74 per cent, while the average pre-berthing detention time fell to around six hours from over 15 hours in the last year.
Projects worth over Rs 2,000 crore are under implementation to modernise its existing infrastructure, he said.
According to the official, the Centre has approved a Rs 3,005 crore project for the development of the western dock with a capacity of 25 metric million tonne per annum.
“This will transform the port with facilities to handle large vessels,” he added.
PTI