Indian Shipping Bucks Trends with Positive Growth
By Aiswarya Lakshmi
Friday, June 16, 2017
The Indian shipping industry is registering a positive growth amid a downward trend globally, Union Minister of State for Shipping, Pon Radhakrishnan said.
“While the shipping sector is seeing a downward trend worldwide, India is registering a positive growth, and the credit for this should go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
The Sagarmala programme launched by the Prime minister last year aims to increase the capacity of Major and Non-Major Ports to 3000 MTPA from the present 1054 MTPA, he said.
Major ports have been consistently increasing their capacity and making profits over the last few years.
He was speaking at a function organised by V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust. Lauding the performance Chidambaranar Port, the Minister said that the port is rapidly increasing its handling capacity, and is consistently handling increased volume of cargo.
The Port handled 38.46 MTPA in 2016-17 as compared to 36.84 MTPA in 2015-16,” he said. Radhakrishnan further said that when the Enayam Port Project is implemented Tamil Nadu become the first state to have four Major Ports.
He also listed out the measures taken by his Ministry in building highways and informed that Rs.50,000 crore has been allocated to implement various road infrastructure projects in Tamil Nadu.