Cargo traffic at ports during the six-month period ended September 2012 grew by just 1.8 per cent to 455.8 million tonnes due to decline in shipments handled at major ports, Economic Survey said today.

Cargo traffic or the goods transported for commercial gain increased to 455.8 million tonnes (April-September, 2012) from 448 million tonnes (April-September, 2011), according to the latest data. The rise in cargo traffic during the same period last fiscal was 5 per cent.

"This 1.8 per cent increase is mainly attributable to a decline of 3.3 per cent in the cargo handled at major ports (which handle heavy traffic)," it said.

In contrast, non-major ports' growth increased to 185.206 million tonnes or 10.3 per cent in the first half of 2012-13 compared to 168 or 8.2 per cent in the corresponding period of 2011-12.

There are 12 major ports in India -- Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Kolkata (with Haldia), Chennai, Cochin, Paradip, New Mangalore, Marmagao, Ennore, Tuticorin, Kandla and Visakhapatanam.

During first six months of 2012-13, Ennore port recorded the highest growth in traffic (22.5 per cent) followed by Mumbai (8.0 per cent), Kandla (7.5 per cent), NMPT (4.3 per cent) and Cochin Port (3.9 per cent).

Negative traffic handling was reported by Marmagao (-22.9 per cent) Haldia (-17.9 per cent), Vishakhapatnam (-16.0 per cent), Paradip (-8.5 per cent), Chennai Port (-7.3 per cent) and Kolkata (-7.8 per cent).

During the first six months of 2012-13, coal, container cargo, other cargo, and petroleum oil and lubricant (POL) traffic posted growth of 3.8 per cent, 2.7 per cent, 2.4 per cent and 0.5 per cent respectively.

The survey said the traffic in iron ore was affected during April-September 2012, recording a negative growth of 43.1 per cent due to ban on mining of iron ore.

Total container traffic at major ports increased in terms of tonnage by 2.7 per cent during April-September 2012 and JNPT emerged as the leading container-handling port with a 48 per cent share in terms of tonnage.

Last year's Economic Survey (2011-12) had projected an investment of over Rs 1.5 lakh crore in the country's ports sector in the next five years.