With an aim to boost cargo movement on waterways and reduce fuel and transport costs, the Ministry of Shipping issued new guidelines on Wednesday. The Government aims to reduce costs on cargo transport by boosting coastal shipping, which will in turn also help in decongesting railways and road transport cargo traffic.
The Government issued orders asking major ports to give priority berthing to dry bulk and general cargo coastal vessels irrespective of the origin and final destination of the cargo. “This decision will help in quick movement of cargo on waterways and also bring down costs of cargo transport,” said an official from the ministry of shipping.
“The new guidelines that will promote coastal shipping, which is not only cost efficient as it will save both time and money but also environment friendly and will bring down pollution,” said the official.The Government has asked the country’s 12 major ports to earmark exclusive berths and green channel for coastal cargo to promote the sector.
The 12 ports are: Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Kolkata (with Haldia), Chennai, Visakhapatanam, Cochin, Paradip, New Mangalore, Marmagao, Ennore, Tuticorin and Kandla.The guidelines, approved by Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari, also provide for concessional port charges whether the vessel is berthed on priority basis or on normal basis.
The guidelines are aimed at promoting coastal shipping to reduce work pressure on rail and road transport systems, the statement said.Gadkari, who took charge of the ministry along with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on May 29, had said that in order to save on fuel cost and promote water transport the Government may allow transport of vehicles through sea.
The 12 major ports handle approximately 61 per cent of the country’s total cargo traffic besides about 200 non-major ports.
Ennore Port, near Chennai, has already seen export of 4.49 lakh automobile units till December 2013, including by automobile manufacturers such as Nissan, Ford and Ashok leyland from Chennai, Toyota from Bangalore and Honda from Delhi.