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Indian Ports Association (IPA) in its latest data has showed that cargo traffic across 12 major ports in the country increased by 3.75 per cent year-on-year in May 2024 to 72.04 million tones (MT) from 69.43 MT handled in the corresponding month of 2023 with nine such ports showing positive growth. Visakhapatnam Port registered the maximum cargo growth in cargo handling at 22.05 per cent during the reporting month followed by Chennai Port with 9.10 per cent, Cochin Port with 7.78 per cent and Mumbai Port with 5.89 per cent. 

The 12 major ports are Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar), Tuticorin (V O Chidambaranar), Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port. According to the data, VO Chidambaranar Port saw a 5.59 per cent increase in its cargo handling during May 2024 while Paradip Port 4.27 per cent, Deendayal Port with 3.49 per cent, New Mangalore Port with 1.87 per cent and JNPA with 1.78 per cent. The ports, which saw a decline in cargo handling during May 2024 include SMP, Kolkata Port with 15.70 drop followed by Kamarajar Port and Mormugao Port, which witnessed 3.58 per cent and 10.55 decline, as per the IPA.

At Kolkata's Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, the overall traffic decreased by 15.70 per cent during the previous month, it said, adding Kolkata Dock System (KDS) traffic declined by 7.71 per cent and at Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) by 18.32 per cent. IPA attributed the fall in cargo handling traffic at KDS to reduction in coking and other coal by -71.75 per cent and finished fertilizers by 43.53 per cent, among others. It also said that during May 2024, Deendayal Port handled the highest traffic volume at 12.71 MT and commanded a 17.64 per cent share of the total cargo handled across 12 ports. This was followed by Paradip Port with 12.64 MT and 17.55 per cent share, Visakhapatnam Port at 8.57 MT with 11.90 per cent share, JNPA at 7.45 MT with 10.34 per cent share and Mumbai Port at 5.79 MT with 8.04 per cent share.