KARACHI, July 17: The Karachi Port Trust (KPT) handled a record 1.213 million containers in 2007-08 which included 626,598 Teus of import and 587,146 boxes of export cargo, showing a growth of 11.9 and 10.6 per cent, respectively, over the previous year.

According to official figures bulk export cargo handled by the port registered a growth of 80.37 per cent at 4,243,608 tons over the previous year owing to bulk export of clinker and cement up by 191.43 and 213.25 per cent, respectively, over the previous year.

The port also handled other bulk export cargoes including rice 936,667 tons, sugar 13,036 tons and coke 8,300 tons.

The bulk import cargo handling also registered an increase of 24.6 per cent.

This includes 1,486,512 tons of fertilisers, 477,071 tons of rock phosphate, 160,854 tons of iron scrap, 2,500 tons of sulphur, 36,203 tons of seeds, 3,556,246 tons of cement, 10,700 tons of yellow peas, 144,746 tons of canola and 473,384 tons wheat.

The dry general cargo export was up by 43.8 per cent at 5.1 million tons in 2007-08 as against 3.5 million tons.

Similarly, dry general cargo imports stood at 9.6 million tons or 2.35 per cent more than the previous year.

Liquid bulk export cargo recorded 44 per cent growth at 2.2 million tons over the previous year.

The liquid bulk cargo imports handling increased by 7.9 per cent at 9.4 million tons.

The total import cargo handled crossed 25.5 million tons mark while export cargo handling increased by 55.3 per cent at 11.6 million tons.

The port handled 2,122 ships during 2007-08 compared to 1,870 ships the previous year. Of these 1,055 were containers, 406 bulk carriers, 223 general cargo vessels, and 438 oil tankers.