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Ports & Fisheries Department
Government of Gujarat
| INTRODUCTION |
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Gujarat,
situated on the western coast of India, is a principal
Maritime State endowed with favorable strategic port
locations. The prominence of Gujarat is by a virtue of having
nearly 1600 kms long coastline, which accounts for 1/3rd of
the coastline of India and being the nearest maritime outlet
to Middle East, Africa and Europe.
In 1991, Government of India initiated various economic, trade
and industrial reforms, through the policy of liberalisation
to enhance industrial and trading activities. The
rationalisation of import duties and stress on export
promotion have seen imports increasing by 24% and export by
25%. Gujarat State, is one of those frontline States that can
take up the policy of liberalisation and privatisation,
announced by the Government of India through a process of
globalisation.
Gujarat itself is experiencing a phenomenal interest in
investment both from Mega-Industrial sectors within the
country and also from top Multi Nationals abroad. Investment
to the tune of $ 30 billion are already in the pipeline. From
an analysis of the present investments and those that are
flowing in, one can perceive a particular trend which is
manifesting itself - investments are converging in and around
potential port sites. Investments of over Rs. 16.000 crores
are taking place at Hazira, Rs. 15,000 crores are planned at
Vagra. Rs. 20,000 crores are planned in areas near Pipavav and
near Jamnagar port locations. The logic of locating these
industries is rather clear, viz., the large business houses
want to import industrial raw-materials and want access to the
international market through sea routes, which is definitely
more viable and feasible as against the surface transport or
air transport.
Another major advantage is that, Gujarat has a vast hinterland
consisting of fast developing Northern and Central Indian
States generating cargo. The State of Rajasthan,Madhya Pradesh,
Western Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal
Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, which constitute 35% of the
total exports, are potential customers for Gujarat ports.
Export of surplus foodgrains from these major grain producing
States and import of fertilizers to these major consumers,
offer great potential for growth of cargo in near future. Any
economic development, taking place in these hinterland States
have a direct bearing on Gujarat ports.
Indian ports handled 197 million tones of cargo in 1994-95,
90% of which were contributed by the Major Ports. The port
activity, in terms of ship turn-around time, waiting time and
average ship per day output, has a significant influence on
development scenario. The existing major ports are under
tremendous pressure to handle the increasing cargo traffic,
resulting into demurrages and huge loss in the foreign
exchange.
In the global scenario, during the last decade, new technology
development has taken place, especially in the container
handling equipment and new port layout to accommodate
container traffic. This technology development demands new
institutional set-up and major investments to help in solving
the problems of port modernisation. With the global shipping
industry introducing suppressed vessels, the Port of Future
will be totally integrated with inter-modal cargo flows and
co-ordinated sea vessels and hinterland vehicle arrivals and
departures. The new proposed port locations of Gujarat are
highly suited to adapt itself, to the current technology
development in the areas of communication, automation, cargo
handling and ship technology, which needs drastic changes in
the physical layout of ports as well as equipment's,
operations and management. It is in this perspective that it
is imperative, Gujarat approaches the problem, by focussing on
an integrated strategy, incorporating 25 to 30 years future
demands scenario. It makes itself evident, that any
globalisation that is to take place, has to take place through
ports of international class.
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PRESENT
STATUS OF THE GUJARAT PORTS
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1.
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Along the
1600 Kms. of coastline of Gujarat, there are 41 ports, of which
Kandla is a major port. Out of remaining 40 ports, 11 are
intermediate ports and 29 are minor ports under the control of
Gujarat Maritime Board.
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2.
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These
ports can be broadly classified into three categories :
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I.
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Three all
weather ports viz: Porbandar,Okha and Sikka with all weather
direct berthing facilities.
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II.
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Seven
ports are all weather lighterage ports.
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III.
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The
remaining thirty ports are fair weather lighterage ports for
sailing vessels and fishing boats.
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The minor and intermediates ports of Gujarat
handle about 8.5% of national shipping cargo. Nevertheless,
Gujarat ports handle about 16 million tones of cargo, which
account for 70% of the total cargo handled by all minor ports of
India.
Draft of 8 to 10 metes are available at Porbandar. Okha and
Sikka, where ships ranging from 15000 to 25000 tones are
directly berthed. Except for Porbandar which handles cargo
containers for fish exports, container cargo handling facilities
do not exist in other ports. There is limited scope for
expanding berthing facilities in the existing minor and
intermediate ports.All that possible is, to enhance the handling
facilities by modern equipment, which can increase the traffic
from present 16 million tones to 24 million tones. Due to the
inherent limitation in the existing ports, it is essential to
identify potential green field sites on Gujarat coast for port
development.
With major coastal based Mega cement plants coming up in Kutch
and Saurashtra, cement and clinker export through sea will play
a major role in marketing of cement nationally and
internationally. Similarly, proximity of Gujarat coastline to
Middle-East countries open up avenues for locating petroleum
refineries and storage of petroleum products for hinterland
consumption. Export of salt and import of coal are other major
potential cargo apart from the existing items of import and
export. As indicated earlier, the massive spurt in the
industrialisation also opens up scope for import of industrial
raw-materials and export of finished goods to the global market
through ports. The vast coastline of Gujarat, also offers
tremendous potential for marine fisheries and subsequent
processing and exports. Over and above this, any development in
the hinterland States have a direct impact on Gujarat ports.
Against this future potential, at present, the ports are being
planned totally in isolation, without taking into consideration
the requirements of industry, trade and commerce. No integrated
plan exists to create ports of international design and status,
linked with hinterland with multi-channel roads that carry cargo
efficiently and other related infrastructure.
Pipavav port is an ideal location for a direct berthing port
facility. Gujarat Maritime Board, alongwith a private sector
company, is developing this port as a joint venture project. An
estimated Rs. 260 crores is likely to be invested in Pipavav
port during the coming five years,developing it into a modern
port in the Saurashtra region.
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OBJECTIVES
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Based on
the above mentioned emerging scenario, the following objectives
are identified for the new Port Policy. |
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To
increase Gujarats share in the Export and Import sector, in
national and international Trade & Commerce, in
pursuance of liberalisation and globalisation policy.
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To
decongest the overburden on existing major ports on Western
India to cater to the needs of increasing traffic of
western and northern States, by providing efficient facilities
and services and to support the countries domestic and
international trade.
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To handle
100 million tones of cargo in Gujarat Maritime waters accounting
approximately for 25% Indias total cargo by 2000 AD.
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It is
estimated that 50% of total industrial investment coming to
Gujarat will be port-based. To provide port facilities to
promote export- oriented industries and port- based industries.
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Taking
fullest advantage of the strategic location of Gujarat coast, in
the World Maritime Scenario,
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to encourage
ship building, ship repairing and estalish
manufacturing facilities for Cranes, Dredgers and
other Floating Crafts
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to provide
facilities for coastal shipping of passenger and cargo
traffic between Kutch, Saurastra and South Gujarat and
further extension of these services to important
places like Bombay, Goa etc. |
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To
fulfill future power requirements of Gujarat,
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by
establishing barge mounted power plants. |
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by
providing exclusive port facilities for importing
different kinds of power fuels, and |
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To
attract private sector investment in the existing minor and
intermediate ports and in the new port locations. |
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