International seminar to showcase state port sector

Gujarat Maritime Board ties up with state tourism council

The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has tied up with Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL), to showcase the port sector as the best investment option at an international investor meet to be held in January next.

Lothal, an ancient port that was part of the Indus Valley Civilisation, will be showcased by GMB and TCGL as part of the seminars, workshops and guided tours that will be part of the investment attracting exercise.

H K Dash, vice-chairman and chief executive officer, GMB, said that the state will host an international seminar on Lothal in mid-January.

"The main aim of the January summit is to attract further investments. Port sector will be showcased as prominent investment option. Investments worth Rs 14,000 crore have already been made in the port sector in Gujarat and we expect investments of at least Rs 10,000 crore more in the sector," Dash said.

He added that while GMB expects investments to be announced by companies in those ports where Expression of Interest (EoI) has already been invited, TCGL will co-ordinate the aspect of showcasing Lothal as a heritage destination.

In fact, at the recently concluded Vibrant Gujarat Navratri 2004 festival, experts said that heritage sites, including Lothal had a great potential for being developed as tourist destinations.

Lothal, located about 50 km south of Ahmedabad, was an engineering marvel. According to archaeologists, Lothal engineers were pioneers in constructing an artificial dock for berthing ships. Perhaps, nowhere in the world had maritime engineering advanced so much in third millennium BC as at Lothal.

The most significant finding from Lothal was the massive trapezoidal brick structure identified as a dock with a large adjacent waterhouse and wharf, making Lothal the largest port of the Indus Valley Civilisation found till date.

The basin of the Lothal dock could accommodate at least 30 ships of 50 tonne at one go. Lothal also served as a provincial capital and centre for international trade, importing copper and producing bronze, fish hooks, chisels, spearheads and ornaments that were 'exported' to different places such as Egypt and Mesopotamia.