Ports

Govt likely to offer 35% subsidy for goods transport on inland waterways

This incentive will be provided only for long-haul movements on waterways - distances greater than 300 km - and will exclude any expenditure incurred on the first and last mile journeys

Former CMD alleges foul play in Kakinada port stake sale; files case

According to the complaint, 40 per cent of Kakinada Port, valued at Rs 2,500 crore, was forcibly acquired for just Rs 494 crore

JNPA records nearly 12% rise in Oct container traffic to 614,651 TEUs

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) on Tuesday said container traffic at its port rose 11.86 per cent year-on-year to 6,14,651 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) in October. The port had handled a total of 5,49,487 TEUs of containers in October last year, it added. In the previous month, it handled 7.62 million tonnes of total cargo, 2.26 per cent more compared to the total cargo handled in October 2023. In October 2024, the port said, it handled 562 container rakes and 88,224 TEUs compared to 555 rakes and 88,412 TEUs in the year-ago period. In the seven months to October, the total container traffic grew 13.12 per cent year-on-year to 4,142,134 TEUs of containers, while the total cargo during this period stood at 52.42 million tonnes, recording a 5.6 per cent year-on-year growth, it said.

Kerala CM asks Union FM to give grant for Vizhinjam port unconditionally

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has urged Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to release the Centre's share of Rs 817.80 crore in the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for the Vizhinjam seaport here without imposing the condition that the state has to repay it later. Vijayan, in a letter to the FM, said the condition imposed by the Empowered Committee constituted by the Department of Economic Affairs, that the VGF amount should be repaid by Kerala in Net Present Value (NPV) terms by way of premium (revenue) sharing, would result in a huge loss of Rs 10,000 to 12,000 crore to the state exchequer. "The state is investing resources to the tune of Rs 5,595 crore out of the total project outlay of Rs 8,867 crore. I am sure, the Hon'ble Minister would appreciate that given the financial situation of a small state, like Kerala with limited financial resources, this scale of investment involves tremendous sacrifice on the part of the state. "In addition, as the repayment of Rs 817.80

Govt ports outpace private peers in cargo traffic growth, shows data

Coastal cargo, commodity anomalies tip scales for major ports

US East Coast port strike likely as union, management trade wage offers

The White House reiterated on Monday it was not considering using the federal Taft-Hartley Act to halt a strike, which would force workers to go back on the job while negotiations continue

Union minister Sonowal launches Cruise Bharat Mission from Mumbai port

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday launched 'Cruise Bharat Mission' from the Mumbai port, aimed at boosting the potential of cruise tourism in the country and doubling of cruise passenger traffic by 2029, according to an official release. The mission, which also aims to excel India's vision to become a global hub for cruise tourism and promote the country as the leading global cruise destination, targets three key cruise segments -- the ocean and harbour, river, inland and island. It will be implemented in three phases, beginning October 1, the release said, adding that it will continue till March 31, 2029. Launching the mission on board cruise ship "Empress," Sonowal, who is the Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said, "the 'Cruise Bharat Mission' is a watershed moment in the revamp of the cruise sector of India." Stating that the government is committed to harnessing the tremendous potential of the Blue Economy of India, Sonowal said that cruise, with its ...

Shipbuilders from Japan, Korea keen to invest here: Sarbananda Sonowal

Sonowal says coastal states to soon have own shipbuilding policies

MSC Claude Girardet reaches Kerala's Vizhinjam international seaport

MSC Claude Girardet, the largest cargo ship ever to have docked in India, has arrived at the Vizhinjam International Seaport here on Friday. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said the berthing of the giant vessels showcases the readiness of the state to become a key player in global cargo shipping. The ship that sailed from Malaysia will return after container handling at Vizhinjam international seaport. "MSC Claude Girardet, the largest cargo ship ever to be berthed in India, has anchored at @PortOfVizhinjam, marking a pivotal moment in Kerala's growth. With a capacity of 24,116 containers, this giant vessel showcases our readiness to become a key player in global cargo shipping," Vijayan posted on X. The ship is 399.99 metres long, 61.5 metres in width and 16.6 metres in depth. The CM noted that it was the largest ship to have arrived in South Asia. The arrival of one of the biggest cargo vessel shows that the mother port of Vizhinjam can easliy handle internatio

More than 80 critical issues resolved during 20th MSDC meet in Goa

More than 80 critical issues between the Centre, states and Union Territories were resolved during the 20th Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) that concluded in Goa on Friday. As per an official release, the two-day event saw the resolution of critical issues focused on port infrastructure modernisation, connectivity, statutory compliances, maritime tourism, navigation projects, sustainability, and port security. During the 20th MSDC, more than 100 issues from various states were deliberated and successfully resolved, it said. "Several new and emerging challenges were also addressed, including the establishment of places of refuge (PoR) for ships in distress, the development of radioactive detection equipment (RDE) infrastructure at ports to enhance security, and the facilitation of seafarers by recognising them as key essential workers, ensuring better working conditions and access to shore leave," the statement added. Union Minister of Port Shipping and Waterways Sarbanand

New liner service to connect Jeddah Port to India's Mundra, Nhava Sheva

A leading maritime services company announced on Sunday the launch of a new liner service connecting the Red Sea's Jeddah Islamic Port to India's Mundra and Nhava Sheva, two of the largest commercial ports in the country. Folk Maritime Services Company, a Public Investment Fund and one of the region's emerging leaders in providing regional liner and feeder services, said the 10-day facility with two vessels will commence in September. According to a company statement, the services will strengthen trade ties by facilitating the movement of consumer cargo from India and products from Saudi Arabia, including petrochemicals. In addition to deploying its vessel, Folk Maritime has also signed a Vessel Sharing Agreement (VSA) with Oman's Asayd, which will also deploy a vessel for the new route, the statement revealed. Announcing the new India Redsea Service (IRS), Poul Hestbaek, Chief Executive Officer of Folk Maritime, said the new route would further "enhance bilateral trade between the

Vadhvan Port in Maha to generate 1.2 mn jobs for youth, women: Sonowal

The proposed Vadhvan Port in the Palghar district of Maharashtra will generate 12 lakh jobs for the local youth and women besides creating multiple facilities for the people of the area once it becomes operational, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Friday. Speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of the port project at CIDCO ground in Palghar, Sonowal also said that India has earned a name as a maritime nation in the world under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who has taken a slew of initiatives for the maritime sector in the last 10 years. Modi laid the foundation stone for the mega project in the presence of Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan, state chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. The prime minister during his visit to the state also inaugurated, laid foundation stoned for 218 fisheries projects worth Rs 1,560-crore in Palghar besides addressing the 2024 edition of three-day Global Fintech .

Port workers defer nationwide strike after successful talks with govt

Relief for transporters, traders who were fearing cost hikes

Port, dock workers' unions defer indefinite strike scheduled from Wednesday

Port and dock workers' unions of major ports have deferred their indefinite strike proposed from Wednesday, official sources said on Tuesday. The decision came after an agreement between representatives of workers' unions and ports management on workers' demands at a marathon meeting in the national capital on Tuesday, they said. At a national coordination committee meeting in Tuticorn (Tamil Nadu) on August 8, major port workers' unions affiliated to five federations decided to go on an indefinite strike from August 28 to press for immediate wage revision and other benefits, pending for nearly 32 months. Subsequently, strike notices were served by the unions to administrators of the respective ports on August 12. "The federations have agreed to postpone the proposed strike from August 28," a top port official said. As part of the agreement, the fitment benefit of 8.5 per cent on the aggregate amount of basic pay as on December 31, 2021, plus 30 per cent cent VDA as on January 1,

Major ports invite workers for discussion next week ahead of strike call

Major ports operators have invited representatives of the ports and dock workers' unions for a discussion in New Delhi on Tuesday next week to avert an indefinite nationwide strike call given by employee federations from August 28, a source said on Friday. The worker unions at a national coordination committee meeting in Tuticorn (Tamil Nadu) on August 8 decided to strike work indefinitely from August 28 to press for immediate settlement of wage revision and benefits, pending for more than two years. Subsequently, strike notices were served to the administrators of the respective ports on August 12. Meanwhile, Mumbai Port Authority Chairman, Rajeev Jalota, told PTI that a meeting of the Bipartite Wage Negotiations Committee has been called in the national capital on August 28 to consider the workers' joint charter of demands. Jalota is also the chairman of the Bipartite Wage Negotiations Committee. "We have already started deliberations with the workers' representatives. We have .

JN Port to scale up handling capacity to over 10 mn TEUs by April

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday said that the container handling facility at Jawaharlal Nehru Port is being scaled up to 10 million TEUs. Speaking with reporters after reviewing various infrastructure and development projects at the port, the minister also said that the upcoming Vadhvan Port in the Palghar district of Maharashtra would generate 10 lakh jobs in the region. To be built as an all-weather port, the greenfield deep draft mega port will come up at an investment of Rs 76,200 crore. The minister said JNPA soon will have a container handling capacity of around 10 million TEUs. A senior JNPA official said that the container handling capacity currently stands at 7.4 million TEUs, which will go up to 10.4 million TEUs by April next year. Sonowal said that Jawaharlal Nehru Port has become the first 100 per cent landlord port in the country, adding that, "accordingly we are aiming for bigger and bigger ships at this facility."

Indian port workers to go on strike to demand better wages, benefits

Around 20,000 workers are part of the group of port workers' unions, and all of them would join the strike, said Sathya Narayanan, a senior union member

Port workers' union call for strike to demand better wages, benefits

A strike by India's port workers could exacerbate the existing congestion issues at Asian and European ports, leading to further delayed shipments

Indian ports make bunkering activity gains amid Red Sea crisis: S&P

Bunkering activity and STS calls at the country's ports increased 64 per cent Y-o-Y between January and July 2024, stated S&P Global Commodity Insights

India adds two more ports for export of essential commodities to Maldives

India has announced two additional ports for the export of essential commodities from India to the Maldives for the financial year of 2024-25.The two new ports announced are namely: Kandla Sea (INIXY1) and Vishakhapatnam Sea (INYTZ1)."Government of India has announced the inclusion of two additional ports for export of essential commodities from India to the Maldives for FY 2024-2025," the Indian High Commission in Maldives said in a post on X.Kandla and Vishakhapatnam Customs Sea ports have been added to the list of ports allowed for Export of Essential Commodities. This is in addition to four ports which were already in use."In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 3 read with Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act. 1992. read with paragraph 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, as amended from time to tone, the Central Government hereby amends Notification No 06/2023 dated 15 04 2024 incorporating (2) additional Ports for Export of