India Pushes for Coastal Shipping Development

India has approved a new scheme to support the country’s so-called major ports in developing the infrastructure needed for improved coastal shipping, the Minister of State for Shipping Shri Pon Radhakrishnan said.

Financial assistance is given under the new central sector scheme in the form of grant-in-aid for construction/upgrading of coastal berths, and capital dredging for the deepening of coastal berths and navigational channels.

In addition, priority in berthing, as well as discount on port charges, are provided for coastal vessels in major ports.

As per the constitutional framework, major ports are under the control of the central government, while all non-major ports are under the jurisdiction of state governments.

In both major and non-major ports, private investment through public private partnership mode is the preferred mode for developing port infrastructure and most of the infrastructure has been developed this way.

Image: Mumbai Port Trust