| The state government may be hard-selling Gujarat as the maritime gateway of the country, but it may well be a distant dream if a recent IIM-A study is any indication. |
| The study, 'Containerised Marine Trade of Gujarat-based Exporters & Importers', conducted by the IIM-A and Ahmedabad-based BK School of Management, says two-thirds of the containerised cargo originating from Gujarat prefer Nhava Sheva terminal in Mumbai. |
| The study analysed three central excise divisions "" Rajkot, Ahmedabad and Vadodara "" which together comprised over 70 per cent of the state's exports from January 1, 2007 to March 31. |
| "Largely, small and medium industries are not being given preference at JNPT. This is an opportunity for Gujarat ports," said Professor G Raghuram, IIM-A, and an expert on transportation and logistics, who was the guide for the study. |
| According to Arvind Nahata, a member of the team that conducted the study, nearly 38 per cent containers from Gujarat are routed through Mumbai and not through Mundra, Kandla or Pipavav. |
| During the first three months of the year, 1,42,290 TEUs (twenty feet equivalent units), the standard measure for containers, originated from Gujarat. |
| Records available at Ahmedabad (Kalol and Kadi divisions) reveal that just about 24 per cent containers were shipped to Gujarat ports, while the remaining 76 per cent went to Mumbai. The situation was similar in the Vadodara division. However, Rajkot was different as 64 per cent containers moved to either Mundra, Kandla or Pipavav and the rest to JNPT. |
| According to Sameer Shah, chairman of CII's logistics panel, gateway ports are final points from where containers are sent out or received. |
Top Section
Explore Business Standard