Port Revamp–Review 2016
The new #Major Ports Authority Bill, 2016 would help to impart faster and transparent decision making benefiting the stakeholders and better project execution capability.
The Bill is aimed at reorienting the governance model in central Ports to landlord port model in line with the successful global practice, says the Ministry of Shipping.
This will also help in bringing transparency in operations of Major Ports. This Bill was introduced in the #Lok Sabha on 16.12.2016.
The ports handle 90 per cent by volume and 70 per cent by value of India’s external trade.
During 2015-16, 30 projects were awarded, involving an investment of Rs.15,334.77 crore and additional capacity of 162.10 million tonnes per annum.
The 2016-17 target is to award 33 projects of which 23 have already been awarded.
The Port Sector allows 100 per cent Foreign Direct Investment through PPP projects.
A new Major Ports Authority Act to replace existing Major Ports Act, 1963 to provide greater autonomy and modernization of institutional structure is under consideration.
A new berthing policy and stevedoring policy has been formulated.
With a view to enable Major Ports to handle larger vessels the Ministry has prepared an action plan for increasing the draft in Major Ports.
The outer harbour in Visakhapatnam Port has very deep draft of more than 18 mtrs.
It is proposed to create a draft of more than 18 mtrs, in #Mormugao Port, #Kamarajar Port (Ennore).
As part of promoting Ease of Doing Business to promote and facilitate business at ports, a number of activities have been launched include elimination of manual forms among others.
New schemes have been formulated for providing financial assistance to Major Ports for green initiatives and for building their capacity for combating oil pollution.
Major Ports are taking up renewable energy projects to generate more than 150 MW (solar & wind energy) in the next five years.
Focus is being given on setting up of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and Coastal Economic Zones around major ports.
The Ministry of Shipping has set a target of 90.64 MW of solar energy capacity at twelve Major Ports and 70 MW of wind energy capacity at four Major Ports, by 2017.
These major ports have started the process of setting-up the renewable energy projects from their profit earnings.
The #solar projects will cost Rs407.7 crore.
A total of 6.94 MW of solar projects has already been commissioned with #Vishakhapatnam Port leading the way with 6.25 MW. Solar projects have also been commissioned at #Kolkata, #New Mangalore, #V.O. Chidambaranar and #Mumbai.
India has one of the largest merchant shipping fleet and ranked 17th among the developing countries with average age of the fleet being 18.03 years.
India has 1,299 ships comprising of 11.24 MGT as on 31.10.2016. Out of the total tonnage, 900 vessels of about 1.52 million GT are engaged in coastal trade and remaining 399 vessels are plying in overseas trade. fii-news.com
