Major Port Authorities Bill to give a fillip to PSU ports, say experts

TAMP has been a multi-member statutory body with a mandate to fix tariffs levied by major port trusts under the control of the Centre and private terminals

The passing of Major Port Authorities Bill, 2020, in the Rajya Sabha this week, paves the way for public sector (PSU) ports to vie with their private counterparts, mainly on the tariff front. Major PSU ports were hamstrung due to regulations laid down by the Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) that were not applicable to private ports.

“The government made it clear that TAMP’s role has significantly lessened. The reference tariff for PPP (public-private partnership) bidding would be set by the new board. Once a private player is in operation, it will have complete authority in setting tariffs based on