PORTS IN INDIA
Introduction:
- The Rig Veda contains the earliest mention of maritime activity, contributing to India’s rich maritime legacy.
- The existence of Indian maritime traditions is supported by a wealth of evidence found in Indian literature, art, sculpture, painting, and archaeology.
- The Indian subcontinent ruled the Indian Ocean from very early times until the 13th century, according to research on the nation’s maritime history.
- Rather than using the sea for political purposes, Indians used it for trade and commerce.
- Thus, there was peaceful maritime trade as well as cross-cultural and cross-traditional exchange between nations up until roughly the 16th century.
- India is located at the center of the Indian Ocean, which has long been recognized as a region of immense significance.
Ports & Shipping industry in India
- India has a sizable maritime industry, with 12 major ports, more than 200 minor ports, and a vast network of navigable waterways spread out over its 7,500 km of coastline.
- Indian ports can handle roughly 2400 million tonnes of cargo annually (MTPA).
- About 95% of India’s export trade, measured in volume, and 68% of its trade in value, are handled by its ports.
- With a 30% market share in ship recycling worldwide, India is among the top 5 nations in the world.
- India is the 16th largest maritime nation in the world, with 12 major ports and roughly 200 minor ports.
- It ranks 18th in the world in terms of shipping tons.
- With a total capacity of 13 million gross tons, India’s merchant fleet consists of 1491 seagoing ships.
- According to the Indian Ports Act of 1908, which defines the authority of the Central and State governments, ports in India are categorized as Major or Minor Ports.
- The Indian Port Act of 1908 governs all Minor Ports, which are owned and operated by the State Governments; the Major Port Trusts Act of 1963 governs all 12 Major Ports, which are owned and operated by the Central Government.
- In accordance with Maritime India Summit 2021, 22 maritime ports, agencies, and authorities signed 486 memorandums of understanding for a total of USD 47.02 billion in various subsectors.
- India now has its own autonomous Regional Navigation Satellite System (IRNSS), making it the fourth nation in the world to do so.
- The nation’s trade and commerce continue to grow because of the ports and shipping sector in India.
Major ports in India
- Kolkata
- Paradip
- Visakhapatnam
- Kamarajar (Ennore)
- Chennai
- O Chidambaranar
- Cochin
- New Mangalore
- Mormugao
- Deendayal
- Mumbai
- N.P.T
- India’s first operational port-based, multi-product Special Economic Zone (SEZ) of its kind is the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) SEZ.
Government initiatives for the Ports & Shipping industry
- The Indian government is a major contributor to the port industry’s assistance.
- It has enabled a 10-year tax holiday for businesses that build, maintain, and run ports, inland waterways, and inland ports.
- It has permitted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) of up to 100% under the automatic route for port and harbor construction and maintenance projects.
- The government has implemented a number of policies to increase operational effectiveness, including deepening the draft, automating tasks, and facilitating quick evacuations.
- In order to expedite the development of contemporary Multi Modal Logistics Parks (MMLP) under Bharatmala Pariyojna throughout the nation, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, and the Ministry of State for Road Transport & Highways signed a tripartite agreement.
- The Draft Indian Ports Bill 2022 seeks to consolidate state government management of minor ports into one central location.
- The Lok Sabha gave its approval to the Inland Vessels Bill 2021.
- The bill aims to incorporate national legislation rather than separate state-created regulations.
- State approvals will not be required for the registration certificate issued under the new law, which is valid nationwide. Additionally, the bill creates a single database that will be used to store information about the crew and vessel on an online portal.
- The Marine Aids to Navigation Bill 2021, which incorporated international obligations for India in this area as well as best practices from around the world and technological advancements, was passed by the Parliament in July 2021.
- An agreement was signed in June 2021 by the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways to collaborate on the development of the National Maritime Heritage Complex in Lothal, Gujarat.Out of the Sagarmala Programme, 190 projects have been awarded and are in the process of being implemented, with 143 projects having been completed.
- The nation will build six new megaports as part of the National Perspective Plan for Sagarmala.
- Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV 2030) is a comprehensive attempt to define and meet national maritime objectives. It identifies over 150 initiatives across 10 themes covering all the facets of the Indian maritime sector.
Latest development
- The Vizhinjam International Transhipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport is an ambitious project undertaken by the Government of Kerala.
- The first cargo ship has arrived at the seaport. In addition to multipurpose and break bulk cargo, its primary purpose is to serve container transshipment.
- Currently, a landlord model incorporating a public-private partnership component is being used to develop the port on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) basis.
- On December 5, 2015, the private partner and concessionaire, M/s Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited, started construction.
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