Cochin Port Trust (CPT) has set a new productivity record in cargo handling by unloading the highest quantity of industrial salt on a single day in its history from ship MV JS Belmar here recently.

Port workers discharged 13,477 tonnes of industrial salt in bulk from the ship on July 8, the highest quantity of industrial salt handled on a single day at the port, surpassing all previous records, a CPT press release said.

The ship, which was carrying a total of 36,000 tonnes of salt for Travancore Cochin Chemicals, berthed at the Ernakulam Wharf on July 7 at 1800 hours. It sailed out yesterday at 0830 hours, with a record in ship berth day output.

Aspinwall & Company was the Steamer Agent and Stevedore of the vessel.

Consequent to shifting of the container terminal's operation from Willingdon Island to Vallarpadam, deep draft berths and a large backup area at the Ernakulam Wharf of the port are used to handle various types of bulk/break bulk cargo.

The port is focused on developing the Ernakulam Wharf as a major bulk cargo consolidation centre in South India.