VISAKHAPATNAM: Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) has achieved the highest growth rate among major ports in the country by handling a record cargo in the first six months of the current financial year.
Speaking to media per
sons here on Friday, VPT Deputy Chairman PL Haranadh said the port climbed to the third spot in cargo handling after Kandla and Paradeep. The port is planning to handle 70 million tonnes this fiscal, which will be the highest in VPT history.
He said as part of innovative marketing strategy, the VPT inked MoU with TN Electricity Board to offer single-window total logistics solutions including services of customs, railways and port. The TN Electricity Board had agreed to give an order of 2 million tonnes of cargo. The port is also planning to enter into a similar tie-up with NMDC Jagdalpur steel plant and NTPC.
He said Kolkata port is considered the first gateway of Nepal and Vizag second gateway. However, now almost Nepal traffic shifted to Vizag port from Kolkata as this year 45 rakes of cargo was transported from Vizag against 15 rakes from Kolkata. He said there has been minimal waiting at the port and this has proved an advantage for Vizag.
He said JM Baxi group is building container terminal port two (VCTPL) under PPP mode. It will be developed as a container hub.