Centre aims to expand port capacity to nearly 10,000 MTPA by 2047

New Delhi, April 4 (IANS) The government on Friday said it aims to expand port capacity from about 2,600 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to nearly 10,000 MTPA by 2047, positioning the nation as a leading maritime power.

The key to this strategy is developing new ports with deeper drafts, increasing draft of the existing ports, establishing port clusters and transshipment hubs, developing automated ports, increasing private sector involvement and enhancing policy support, said Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

The government has introduced several legislative reforms to enhance India's maritime capabilities, said Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha.

The ministry has launched the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP) which aims to reduce carbon emissions and minimise environmental impact by encouraging adoption of environmentally sustainable tugboat operations.

Additionally, the government has launched the ‘HaritSagar’ guidelines for major ports and ‘Harit Nauka’ guidelines for inland vessels which aim to promote the adoption of greener technologies.

Under the modernisation pillar of ‘Sagarmala’ programme, 234 projects at the cost of around Rs 2.91 lakh crore have been undertaken for implementation across Coastal states/UTs.

Out of these, 103 projects worth Rs 32,634 crore have been completed and 56 projects worth Rs 74,744 crore are under implementation.

There are a total of 101 projects of Ministry under PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. All of these are only infrastructure projects related to port and waterways development.

Sagarmala programme is a flagship programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways to promote port-led development in the country through harnessing India’s 7,500 km long coastline, 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways and strategic location on key international maritime trade routes.

There was a total of 839 projects worth Rs 5.79 lakh crores included in the Sagarmala Programme. These are categorised into five pillars – port modernisation, port connectivity, port-led industrialisation, coastal community development, and coastal shipping and inland water transport, the minister said.

--IANS

na/