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        CHENNAI, DEC.21: AIDED by iron and coal traffic, Major Ports handled 48.2 million tonnes of cargo in November, as against 42.5 million tonnes in November 2008, an increase of 13 per cent.

        Cargo traffic also grew by 3.4 per cent in November 2009 over the previous months. according to the Indian Ports As sociation (IPA) data.

        indeed, cargo throughput in November 2009 was the second-highest monthly performance since April 2008.

        Paradip Port registered the highest growth with a 41 per cent spurt in coal traffic, leading to a robust 43 per cent growth year-on-year, while Chennai Port saw 27 per cent growth due to an increase in container traffic . Visakhapatnam Port posted 19 per cent growth and Mumbai Port saw a 18 per cent jump in throughput during the month.

      Chennai, Tuticorin and Kolkata Ports also recorded growth in container traffic. Chennai port saw a 14 per cent increase at 15 million tonnes. Tuticorin Ports throughput grew by 12 per cent to 4.2 million tonnes, while Kolkata Port reported a jump of 19 per cent to 4.5 million tonnes year-on-year.

      However, industry officials fear that the worst is far from over and that growth in 2010 would be along the lines of 2009. The growth of cargo traffic now has been attributed to christmas and new year and the shipments, following the festival orders, have already been substantial.

      “We are likely to see another lull in exports in the first half of january, Growth may gather steam after that till March 15 but may once again fall as the fiscal comes to a close, ” a shipping official belived.