In an enthusiastic response from investors, as many as 141 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) and business agreements worth
Rs82,905 crore were signed by various players in maritime sector including major ports, State Maritime Boards and PSUs, at the end of second day of the first-ever Maritime India Summit here on Friday.
The projects for which agreements were signed cover a wide spectrum of activities including modernisation of existing ports and establishment of new ones, development and extension of Inland Waterways. enhancement of cargo handling capacity of Indian ports, improving hinterland connectivity of ports through road and rail network and up-gradation of educational and training facilities for maritime sector.
One of the major agreements signed relates to establishment of a greenfield port at Vadhavan, Maharashtra. Phase – I of the Project is estimated to be around Rs 9167 crore. Also signed was a MoU for a project between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and Maharashtra Maritime Board.
In its effort to give boost to its inland water transport, the Andhra Pradesh government signed an MoU with Inland Waterways Authority of India for development of National Waterway 4 at estimated cost of Rs 3000 crore. Once developed, this waterway will help take off roads significant portion of cargo traffic.
Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu was present on the occasion.
Gujarat Maritime Board signed an MoU with Shapoorji Pallonji Company for development of a new lNG Terminal costing around Rs 5411 crore at Chara, while GMB inked an MoU with Il&FS for setting up a Maritime Services Cluster at GIFT City, Gandhinagar.
Similarly, Visakhapatnam Port Trust signed an MoU with HPCl who plan to increase the capacity of Visakha Refinery from 7.50 million metric tonnes (MMT) to 15 MMT at an estimated cost of Rs 18412 cr.
Shipping Corporation of India also signed a slew of agreements to enhance shipping capacity both inland as well international.
Indian Maritime University (IMU), the premier institution engaged in education and training of maritime personnel signed MoUs with four international institutions including Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Maritime University (BSMRMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh; Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) and Plymouth University, U.K and Admiral G.I. Nevelskoi Maritime State University (AGINMSU), Vladivostok, Russia. The IMU also inked a pact with Andaman & Nicobar administration for establishment of training facilities in A & N Islands.