Despite global economic meltdown hitting the market, the Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) said that it has been able to maintain the same level of business this year as compared to last year.

In 2007, the KoPT had done a business of 38 million tonnes till December 15 and this year the figure stood at 38.03 million tonnes.

KoPT chairman A K Chanda has said the total business done in 2007-08 fiscal year was 57.28 million tonnes, a figure that they will achieve this year too.

But in spite of the buoyant note, Chanda said that their 8 per cent growth rate has been affected.

KoPT officials claim that they had hoped the growth percentage would cross the two-figure mark (nearly 10 per cent) this year, but the meltdown has put a stop to it. While the fluctuating iron-ore market that led to the piling up of the stock at the dockside has been a big blow, certain product growth have helped the KoPT maintain its last year’s figure.

In 2008, at Haldia dock the import of POL (crude) has increased from 8.50 million tonnes last year to 9 million tonnes while the export of POL (product) has increased from 6.48 lakh tonnes (2007) to 9.13 lakh tonnes during this year within the April to November period.

Even the export of LPG has increased from 3.61 lakh tonnes to 4.58 lakh tonnes within the same period.

“Certain sectors experienced a growth this year and these are the ones that helped the KoPT to maintain the same level of business as last year.

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