MUMBAI, FEB 5: The Mumbai Port Trust (MPT) will handle more than 6,00,000 tonnage equivalent units (TEUs) of container traffic by the end of 1997-98, said Arun Kumar Mago, chairman, MPT, while presenting the budget estimates for 1998-99 and revised estimates 1997-98 to the board of trustees.``The container traffic at the MPT continues to grow and is expected to continue during 1998-99 when the traffic is expected to increase to 6,36,000 TEUs,'' he added. The 125-year old port thus retained its position as the premier container port handling 37 per cent of the country's container traffic.
The revised estimates 1997-98 put the total traffic of the port at 32.3 million tonnes, 1.3 million tonnes above the original estimate. The general cargo has increased by 2.3 million tonnes. In 1998-99, traffic is estimated at 17 million tonnes of POL and 16.3 million tonnes of general cargo, a total traffic of 33.3 million tonnes.
The operating income during the current financial year is estimated at Rs 621 crore withoperating expenditure at Rs 491 crore. The net surplus is expected to be Rs 192.25 crore. The revised budget envisages increased operating income of Rs 643 crore and net surplus of Rs 95.85 crore. The port has already launched a massive programme for replacement of its old equipment and assets.
A major port which will be taken up during 1998-99 is the replacement of the submarine pipelines.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
