Major Ports (India) posted a meagre 1.2 per cent growth at 515 million tonnes (mt) between April and February, as against 509 mt in the same period of the previous fiscal, Exim News Service reports.

Strained industrial relations, congestion and drop in iron ore exports are being attributed for the unsatisfactory growth this year, as against the 6 per cent growth in 2009-10.

A modest growth in throughput was posted by Ports such as Kandla, Visakhapatnam, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Chennai and Mormugao while New Mangalore, Mumbai, Kolkata, Paradip and Cochin recorded declines.

With regard to volumes, Kandla was on top with 75 mt, followed by Visakhapatnam (61.5 mt), JNP (58.5 mt), Chennai (55.7 mt), Paradip (50.6 mt) and Mumbai (49.9 mt). It is learnt that the Shipping Ministry has set its sights on achieving 615 mt for 2011-12, including container throughput of 11 million TEUs.