The volume of containers handled by India’s Port of Mumbai surged 36 percent in the first half of fiscal 2010-11 ending Sept. 30, the port authority said.

Container traffic for the April-September period was estimated at 37,236 20-foot equivalent units, compared with 27,411 TEUs in the year-ago period.

Volume in September increased to 6,942 TEUs from 4,226 TEUs in the same month last year.

Officials attributed the growth in traffic to several proactive measures the authority has taken in recent months, covering reduction in handling costs and other concessions to users.

The west coast hub handled 27.38 million tons of cargo in the first half, up 3.33 percent from 26.5 million tons a year earlier.

Overall tonnage fell just short of the Shipping Ministry’s target of 28 million tons set for the six-month period.

The volume of petroleum products was up 22 percent and breakbulk cargo up 12 percent in the April-September period.

The Journal of Commerce Online