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Cargo mix (container/bulk/liquid)
What it is
Containers carry manufactured goods and earn the highest handling revenue per tonne; dry bulk carries coal, ore and grain at low rates but huge volume; liquid bulk covers crude, products and chemicals through pipelines and dedicated berths
Each needs different infrastructure and earns different margins
Impact on industries
- Container handling earns the best realisation per tonne and supports value-added services, so container-weighted ports are structurally more profitable
- Diversified cargo mix stabilises throughput, since coal, containers and crude respond to different demand cycles
- Coal-weighted ports face long-term decarbonisation risk, and thermal coal is a large share of Indian dry bulk volumes
- Mix determines capex - container terminals need cranes and yard, liquid needs tankage and pipelines, so a port's history constrains its options