The Indian Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has continued its strong form in bouncing back from the Coronavirus pandemic, increasing its handling of cargo by almost 10% for January 2021.
The 465,000 TEU handled in January marks a growth of 9.14% over the same month in January 2020. The total traffic handled at JNPT, 6.5 million tons, was also an increase of more than a tenth compared to the 5.91 million tons handled the year prior.
Most notably was the increase in bulk cargo: January 2021’s traffic includes 0.82 million tons of Bulk Cargo, a 39% increase in the same month of last year.
The growth in productivity comes at a time of expansion for the port at Navi Mumbai. In February 2021 JNPT reached the next step in the development of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) at the port, primed to create 57,000 jobs for the region.
Across India, major ports will shift from state-run operations to a new Public Private Partnership model, its Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on 2 February.
At JNPT, in January 2021 the centralised parking plaza handled more than 50,000 tractor-trailers in January, carrying more than 78,000 TEU.
Shri Sanjay Sethi, IAS, Chairman at JNPT said the trust is “trying to reach its pre-COVID performance levels,” with the latest figures reaffirming JNPT’s growth trajectory.
“We have taken a number of initiatives that have helped the port in improving its numbers,” Sethi added. “JNPT is the first port where Port-led SEZ is evolving successfully and we are confident of attracting leading global companies for investing here at JNPT SEZ.”
The port has floated a tender for the SEZ, inviting offers for allotment of 16 plots for setting up industrial units and carrying out Authorised SEZ operations through E-Tender cum E-Auction.
Elsewhere at JNPT, the port launched a Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Station (CAAQMS) at Port Operation Centre to monitor air quality parameters.
JNPT also became the first major port to sign a Distribution Franchisee Agreement with MSEDCL.
