The Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (PSW) is working diligently towards achievement of Maritime India Vision objectives. This has resulted the Ministry to clock growth & improvement across its verticals. The effort put in to modernise, mechanise as well as digitise processes led to positive transformation leading to better cost & time in international trade contributing towards Ease of Doing Business.
The major Indian ports under Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Government of India registered an impressive growth rate in traffic movement at 6.94% during FY2021-22 over the previous fiscal year (Y-o-Y). The five major ports of the country recorded their highest ever traffic during the year.
The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), the statutory body in charge of the waterways in India under the Ministry, transported a total of 105 million tonnes of cargo through National Waterways, registering an impressive increase of 25.61% Y-o-Y basis.
The average turnaround time for container vessels at major ports has improved from 43.44 hours in 2014 to 26.58 hours in 2021.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, said, “Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways is working diligently towards achieving major objectives of Maritime India Vision, 2030. During the last fiscal, the ministry put forth unwavering effort with an aim towards the vision of transformation through transportation. This has not only helped us inch closer towards achievement of these objectives within the specified time but also improving the performance of our major verticals. This trickles down towards ease of doing business and overall growth in trade and economic growth of the country.”
Key Highlights of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways during FY 2021-22:
Major Ports
- Traffic handled during FY 2021-22 at Major Ports witnesses a rise of 6.94% over last year.
- Five Major Ports record their highest ever traffic during FY 2021-22.
o Kamarajar Port attained an increase of 49.63% traffic over the previous year
o The JNPT achieved highest ever traffic during the same period with an impressive growth of 17.27% over the previous year
o Deendayal Port also clocked an impressive growth rate of 8.11% during FY2021-22 which is its highest ever traffic
o Mumbai Port marked an increase in traffic of 17.27% and 11.46%, respectively.
o Cochin Port grew 9.68% on Y-o-Y basis which is its highest ever traffic achieved.
- Average turnaround time for container vessels at Major Ports has improved from 43.44 hours in 2014 to 26.58 hours in 2021
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)
- The exploration of the IBP Route based on the protocol on Inland water transit and Trade (PIWTT) between India & Bangladesh has been beneficial in unlocking the value from the cargo trade in the region.
- In line with the “Act East” policy of Prime Minister, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, has taken up several infrastructure projects on National Waterways-1, Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route, and NW2, through the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI). These steps have improved the connectivity with North Eastern Region (NER) through waterways.
· A new milestone was achieved in regional connectivity when Pandu Port in Guwahati received MV Lal Bahadur Shastri, the cargo vessel carrying 200 metric tonnes of foodgrain from Patna, by traversing 2,350 km through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol (IBP) route.
· Another vessel MV Ram Prasad Bismil, with two barges – Kalpana Chawla and APJ Abdul Kalam – successfully completed their voyage from Haldia with a consignment of 1,800 steel products from Haldia sailing through the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol route to Pandu Port at Guwahati.
Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL)
- The Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC) – “Vikrant”, India’s most complex warship to have been indigenously built by Cochin Shipyard for the Indian Navy proceeded for its maiden sea trials from Cochin Shipyard.
- The Keel Laying ceremony of the two Autonomous Zero Emission Electric Vessels being built for ASKO Maritime AS, Norway was held at Cochin Shipyard Limited, Kochi. The vessels are considered to be first of its kind in the field of merchant shipping field.
- Inaugurated the Launching of 2 ASKO Autobarge SP being built for ASKO Maritime AS, Norway; launched 3 Floating Boarder Outpost (FBOP) Vessels being built for Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India, inaugurated the Model Room, ‘Smrithi’ which portrays the ship building history of CSL
· Delivered 1 No. of Technology Demonstration Vessel, INS Anvesh, built for Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- CSL signed an agreement with the Dredging Corporation of India (DCI) to build India’s largest Dredger, 12,000 m3 Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD), in collaboration with IHC Holland for an overall project cost of around Rs. 950 Crores.
Dredging Corporation of India
- Dredging Corporation of India to achieve the vision and mission of Maritime Vision 2030 established state of art soil lab for beneficial uses of dredged material.
- In the last one year all the dredging projects were completed in time by DCI
- DCI Signed MoU for strategic alliance with other nation government companies. Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat and make in India awarded construction of 12,000 m3 hopper dredger in Cochin shipyard to build the first of Beagle 12 series
MJPS