In yet another signal of expanding port activities in the country, Union minister of shipping, G K Vasan while addressing the Consultative Committee meeting on February 3, 2010, said that traffic handling capacity of the country’s major ports has surged by 48% in the last 5 years. Cargo handled by the major ports that stood at 389.5 million tonnes (mt) in 2003-04 rose to 574.77 mt in 2008-09. Mr Vasan also expects the cargo handling capacity of the country’s major ports to almost treble and touch 1,595.07 mt by end of 2025-26. He also said despite the onset of the global economic recession during 2007-08, cargo handled by the major ports registered a growth of 2.1%. Container traffic that stood at 6.71 million TEUs (twenty foot equivalent) in 2007-08 rose to 6.846 TEUs in 2008-09, thereby registering a growth of 2%. The Consultative Committee also discussed major port developmental issues under the National Maritime Development Programme (NMDP) and also other initiatives undertaken by the Government of India (GoI) to develop the port sector. Factors facilitating high growth Experts accredit the public-private partnership (PPP) model in port development activities as one of the major factors behind ports registering growth in traffic handled. In this context Rajdeepak Bhargava, CMD of Avignon Shipping Company, a mid-sized shipping firm in Pune says, “The PPP model has proved highly beneficial for the port sector as it has infused funds and superior technology into the sector, thereby ensuring better management of port activities. The model has particularly elevated the infrastructure of the ports, which has helped it to handle huge volumes of cargoes. Another major factor that has bolstered the traffic handling capacity of major ports is easing of custom clearance norms resulting in quick clearance of cargoes. This in turn has helped in the reduction of port congestion which so far has been one the major bottlenecks in the port development projects.” 100% FDI for port development work has also resulted in high growth of traffic handled by the 12 major ports in the country. GoI has also elevated the wage structure of port and dock workers in order to motivate them to give better outputs. It is to be noted that during the recent wage settlement meeting with the representatives of port and dock workers federation, with an objective to prevent nationwide strike of port workers, 23% fitment benefits have been granted to port and dock workers. Scope of improvement The members of the meeting came up with various suggestions to further boost traffic handling capacity of the major ports. They highlighted the importance of improving road-rail connectivity to the major ports along with improving river-connectivity. “Better road and rail connectivity will help in smooth completion of port projects under NMDP. The same will ensure prompt delivery of consignments to consumers,” says V Gosain, managing director of Intra Logistics, a mid-sized logistics firm in Arup Choudhury |
