Ministers discuss ways to increase availability of containers
Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR) requires approximately 50,000 containers in the next three years as the Government promotes bulk shipping both for exports and domestic deliveries through national waterways.
This was highlighted following a ministerial meeting held by Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal, and Minister of Railways, Communications and Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw in presence of the Minister of Health & Family Welfare and Chemicals & Fertiliser, Mansukh Mandaviya, in New Delhi.
The meeting deliberated on building an eco-system for Container production under ‘Make In India’ programme.
With a cluster base manufacturing in focus, the CONCOR will be working closely with the MoPSW.
The meeting also discussed how the availability of containers may open up the avenue for domestic cargo transportation using the vast expanse of inland waterways of India.
Various ways and means to encourage Indian producers of containers were also discussed, such as the possibility of containerised movement of bulk cargos like cement, foodgrains and fertilisers through coastal and inland waterways.
“This will contribute to reduction in the cost of logistics, handling charges as it will be through an economical, ecological and easier mode of transportation,” MoPSW said in a release on 15 Aug 2022.
Earlier, a committee was formed comprising of Joint Secretary (Ports), Joint Secretary (Customs), Joint Secretary (Logistics), Joint Secretary (Steel), Representative from CONCOR and National Industrial Corridor Development Corp (NICDC) to assess the demand of containers in domestic trade, EXIM trade as well as the problem faced in the domestic manufacturing of containers.
The MoPSW also interacted with the representatives from CONCOR, Association of Container Train Operators (ACTO), steel manufacturing companies, container manufacturers, Container Shipping Line Association (CSLA).
In EXIM segment, container availability and space onboard vessels are consistently improving, noted the Ministers. fiinews.com
