VISAKHAPATNAM: The Non-Major Ports in the Country, which at present are contributing 43 per cent of the cargo in the Country, have to play a critical role on the East Coast of the Country in future, according to experts.
Visakhapatnam Port Chairman M.T Krishnababu said that during the past decade or so healthy competition had developed between the Major Ports and Non-Major Ports and it was good for both. "A monopolistic situation is never welcome and the Major Ports are also gearing up for competition as a result. During the past two years in particular the Major Ports are faring well in comparison with Non-Major Ports. In Visakhapatnam Port, we are benchmarking ourselves and improving our performance on all parameters all the time," he said.
CONCOR - Chairman and Managing Director V. Kalyanarama said all the ports, both in the public sector and private sector, were taking steps for containerisation of cargo, but still a lot of ground needed to be covered on the front.
Amitabh Verma, Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India, spoke about the work being undertaken on the five national waterways and the associated problems. "Of the five national waterways, NW-1, NW-2 and NW-3 are already operational and work is going on the remaining two - NW-4 and NW-5. We have formed a joint venture with Andhra Pradesh Government for developing NW-4 passing through the State. In the first phase, development from Muktiyala to Amaravati near Vijayawada (the new capital) will be undertaken and then from Vijayawada to Kakinada. That will be the first phase of the project, costing more than Rs 4,000 crores. Later, the work on the NW-4 up to Tamil Nadu will be taken up," he said.
Visakhapatnam Port Trust Deputy Chairman P.L Haranadh spoke about the importance of Coastal Shipping and how it could be used to transport coal within the Country.
Sajan B Nair, Secretary-General of the Federation of Indian Coir Exporters' Association, said Coastal Shipping would give a tremendous boost to the coir trade and industry in South India.
Michael P Pinto, former Union Shipping Secretary, and several others spoke at an event related on shipping industry. A report prepared by Ernst & Young and the AP Chambers of Commerce and Industry Federation on the development of ports in the Country and the State was released on the occasion.
Source: Dailyshippingtimes.com
