Much of the cargo traffic that comes into India is transshipped through major hubs such as Colombo, Singapore, Jabel Ali or Port Klang. In an interaction with Sukalp Sharma and Anil Sasi, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said the government is cognisant of this issue and is building international transshipment ports like Galathea Bay and Wadhavan ports to tackle the problem. He said the upcoming global maritime summit would give a fillip to investments in the ports and shipping sector and that his Ministry was actively charting out a new route to Russia through the east to handle rising cargo shipments between the two countries. Edited excerpts:
The dismantling of the TAMP (Tariff Authority for Major Ports) and the delegation of freedom to major ports to set tariffs has been a major reform. Which is the next big ticket reform push that the government is working on for the ports sector?
Global players are now recognising India’s potential as a maritime country and are also interested in the huge market that the country offers in the form of 1.4 billion people. There is no doubt about India’s potential and it is our responsibility to channel and realise that potential.
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