"During 2015-16, a total of 30 projects are to be awarded which will involve an investment of Rs 14,225 crores and capacity enhancement by 162 MTPA," the Shipping Ministry said in a statement today.
Twenty-six projects with an investment of Rs 10,543 crore were approved in 2014-15.
"In order to bring the major ports in India at par with its contemporaries across the world, Ministry of Shipping has been emphasising on creation of additional capacities through development and construction of new berths/terminals, revamp of existing berths and terminals and other modernisation projects," the statement said.
Currently, the level of mechanisation is not at par as compared with other ports across the world.
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The statement said Kolkata Port is only 30 per cent mechanised whereas Kamarajar Port at Ennore has mechanisation level of up to 90 per cent. Operations in other Ports are also mechanised to varying degrees.
"As part of the modernisation process, Ministry of Shipping had hired a consultant for benchmarking the efficiency and productivity of major ports in India vis-a-vis international standards and suggest roadmap for improvement," it said.
The ministry has also taken note of BK Chaturvedi Committee recommendations which stress on the need to increase draught of major ports to at least 14 meters, and in ports where it is technically feasible and economically efficient, the draught should be increased to 17 meters so that these ports can be developed into hub ports.
Stating that the government has taken steps to increase the draught, the statement said all major ports except two namely VOC Port and Kolkata Port can handle 14 meter draft vessels.
The investment in these dredging projects is estimated to be to the tune of Rs 793 crore, it said.
India has 12 major ports -- Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Marmugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore, V O Chidambarnar, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) which handle approximately 61 per cent of the country's total cargo traffic.