Surge in Cargo Handling: National Waterways Witness Growth by Over 1,700%

Surge in Cargo Handling: National Waterways Witness Growth by Over 1,700%

VoM News Desk | December 22, 2023 | 10:20 PM IST | Breaking News | Follow on Google News

Surge in Cargo Handling: National Waterways Witness Growth by Over 1,700%

Surge in Cargo Handling: National Waterways Witness Growth by Over 1,700%

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways reported a monumental increase in cargo handling within national waterways, escalating from 6.83 million metric tonnes (MMT) in 2013-14 to a staggering 126.15 MMT in 2022-23, marking a remarkable growth of over 1,700%.

In a meeting chaired by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal in New Delhi regarding the ‘Coastal Shipping Policy’, the Ministry revealed plans aiming for a total cargo movement potential of 1300 MTPA (million tonnes per annum) via coastal shipping by 2047.

Minister of State for MoPSW Shripad Y Naik, along with Members of Parliament Arvind Ganpat Sawant, Hibi Eden, Lalubhai Babubhai Patel, GK Vasan, and Rajya Sabha, participated in the meeting.

Sonowal highlighted the initiatives undertaken by the Ministry to boost coastal shipping, such as introducing green channel clearance, enhancing road and rail connectivity, and implementing Sectoral Plans for Efficient Logistics (SPEL) under the National Logistics Policy.

The Sagarmala Programme has witnessed the initiation of various projects aimed at enhancing Coastal Cargo handling capacity and facilitating passenger movement along the coast. Notably, five dedicated coastal berths have been developed, adding a handling capacity of 6.34 MTPA. Moreover, completed projects worth Rs. 527 Cr for RoRo/RoPax Jetties and Passenger Jetties are contributing to this growth.

To expedite coastal cargo evacuation, the Ministry has introduced priority berthing policies and green channel clearance at ports. Major ports also offer a 40% discount on vessel and cargo-related charges to coastal cargo vessels. Additionally, GST on bunker fuels used in Indian Flag Vessels has been reduced from 18% to 5% to further incentivize coastal shipping.

The Ministry’s focal points for furthering coastal shipping include developing agglomeration centers, silo infrastructure, dedicated warehousing facilities, and improving the end-to-end logistics supply chain. Furthermore, under the National Logistics Policy, Sectoral Plans for Efficient Logistics are being formulated by various ministries to promote sustainable transport modes like Coastal Shipping and Inland Waterways. The formalization of minimum cargo earmarking by Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) through Coastal Shipping has also been emphasized.

VoM News Desk

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