Goa’s Mormugao Port is yet to come to terms with the loss of its mining industry. The port, which till the end of 2021 had never before exported sugar, has allocated nearly 4,000 square metre shed space within the port for the new commodity.
“Sugar was usually exported from the Jaigarh Port (coastal Maharashtra), but this year we were able to offer our services to sugar exporters here,” official said.
Goa’s Mormugao Port used to handle almost 55 million tonnes of iron ore, virtually entirely mined and exported from the state. The port was obliged to diversify from a single commodity port to a multi-commodity port as a result of the mining ban.
The port has also banked on export of bauxite, granite and steel coils. The import of coal is currently capped at 7 million tonne. “We need to set a cargo of at least 24-25 million metric tonne if we want to stay afloat and profitable,” Rai stated.
