New Delhi’s dredging commitment will see 12 ports capable of handling ultra large boxships
Mumbai: Long the Achilles’ Heel of Indian export goals, New Delhi is now taking action to fix draft issues at its major ports. Shippers and shipping lines alike have complained about the shallow draft of most Indian ports for years. Finally, under the government of Narendra Modi, plans are being put in place to welcome the largest ships afloat. The shipping ministry is rolling out measures to dredge the nation’s top 12 state run ports to 18 m depth alongside, and eventually to 20 m. Currently, India’s largest boxport in Mumbai is also its deepest with a depth alongside of 16 m.
The 12 ports where dredging will take place include in Mumbai, Kandla, Kochi, Chennai, Kolkata, Vishakapattanam and Mangalore.
Furthermore, the ministry is looking at adding shore power to many terminals to green their operations.
India’s sudden focus on ports development in step with its big push to showcase Indian manufacturing has also seen authorities finally green light this week a transhipment boxport at Vizhinjam in Kerala, a project that has been on the cards for the last decade.
