Goa Waterways "Can't Handle" More Iron Ore Traffic

Port Chief Claims Waterways Have Hit Saturation Point

The chairman of the Goa-based Mormugao Port Trust (MPT), Praveen Agarwal, has said that inland waterways in the Indian state do not have the capacity to handle an increase in iron ore traffic.

Mr Agarwal’s comments came in the wake of the state government announcing that it would grant clearance permission for 100 more mines, potentially doubling the state’s potential output.

"If there are 100 more mines, what we have to look is whether waterways are able to handle such traffic. The waterways have reached a saturation point," Mr Agarwal told reporters today. "Unless waterways are developed, it will not be able to increase the capacity," he said.

Despite this, Mr Agarwal stated that the MPT would be in a position to handle any increase in output. However, he added “Increased capacity of mines will not result in increase in transport output.”

Iron and manganese ore is extracted from open cast mines in Goa’s hinterland and transported by barge through a network of two rivers, Mandovi and Zuari, which stretch from the mining heartland to the port at Mormugao.

“The barges this year carried 54 million tonnes of ore as compared to 44 million tonnes last year.” Mr Agarwal said.

Goa’s 110 operational mines exported nearly 40 tonnes of ore in the last financial year, according to state government figures. With the MoEF’s granting clearance to 100 more mines in Goa, the number of operational mines is likely to double.