MUMBAI: For the period from April- November 2017, nine Ports (Kolkata (including Haldia), Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mumbai, JNPT and Kandla) have registered positive growth in traffic. The highest growth was registered by Cochin Port (17.93%), followed by Paradip (13.13%), Kolkata [incl. Haldia] (12.64%), New Mangalore (7.07%) and JNPT (5.69%).
Cochin Port growth was mainly due to increase in traffic of POL (25.15%) and Containers (10.46%). There was decrease in traffic of other Liquids (-26.24%), Fertilizer Raw Materials (-23.33%), Finished Fertilizers (-11.76%) and other Misc. Cargo (-1.19%).
In Kolkata Port, overall growth was 12.64%. Kolkata Dock System (KDS) registered traffic growth of 4.33%. where Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) registered positive growth of 16.70%.
During the period April to November 2017, Kandla Port handled the highest volume of traffic i.e. 72.03 Million tonnes (16.38% share), followed by Paradip with 64.97 Million Tonnes (14.78% share), JNPT with 43.26 Million Tonnes (9.84% share), Mumbai with 42.33 Million Tonnes (9.63% share), and Visakhapatnam with 40.95 Million Tonnes (9.31% share). Together, these five ports handled around 60% of Major Port Traffic.
The Ministry of Shipping has taken significant strides in the last three years to make India’s presence felt on the global maritime map. Various steps have been taken to provide a robust legislative framework, create capacities, impart skills to people, and create an enabling business environment for growth of the maritime sector in the country.
Recently, Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport & Highways, Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation laid the foundation stone of a Rs 970-crore International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF) at Cochin Shipyard Limited, which will make Cochin a global ship repair hub.
Giving boost to the maritime sector under Sagarmala, a world class Center of Excellence in Maritime and Ship Building (CEMS) is also being set up with campuses at Vishakhapatnam and Mumbai, which will provide industry-relevant skill development, equip students with employable engineering and technical skills in the port and maritime sector.
These steps have resulted in India gaining prominence in the global maritime arena. In the recent elections to the IMO Council India secured the second highest number of votes and was re- elected to in Category-B, that is states with the largest interest in international seaborne trade. The IMO Council consists of 40 member countries. Shri Gadkari described it as a proud moment for the country.
