How has been the port cargo traffic in the month of September? Are there growth signs?
Answer
Answer
The fall in cargo traffic continues for the sixth month in a row since the pandemic and its impact started. The direct and the indirect impact of COVID-19 is seen all over the place in the marked decline in cargo traffic of the top-12 ports in India.
The Indian Ports Association or IPA releases these details for the 12 ports that are under government control and account for nearly 65% of the total trade movement in India. These ports registered 14% drop in the first half FY21 to 298.55 MT.
If you compare to the corresponding period last year, then these 12 ports, under the control of the central government, had handled cargo volumes of 348.23 MT in Apr-Sep 2019. This sharp fall is due to a mix of weak demand, supply chain constraints and labour shortages.
The August trend repeated with all ports barring Mormugao witnessing negative growth in cargo volume growth. Kamrajar Port, Ennore saw 31.63% fall in volumes while Chennai, Cochin and JNPT around 20% fall in cargo volumes. Kolkata and Mumbai port volumes fell by just about 15%.