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News on Shipping
International Maritime Conference & Exhibition in Mumbai An international maritime conference and exhibition is being organized in Mumbai from December 8 to 10 by the Bombay Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCC&I) and Assocham, with the support of the Union Ministry of Shipping. The event forms the third biennial international maritime conference to be organized by BCC&I and has the backing of of The Baltic & International Maritime Council (BIMCO), the Indian Port Association and the International Association of Ports & Harbours (IAPH).
IIMS to be converted into a maritime university The proposed Indian Institute of Maritime Studies (IIMS) to be based in Mumbai will be eventually converted into a maritime university and the new entity will become the umbrella body for all other maritime training institutions in the country. The IIMS has already taken over the Maritime Training Institute (MTI), which was hitherto managed by Shipping Corporation of India (SCI). Four other government maritime institutions in the country, viz. Lal Bhahadur Shashtri College of Advanced Maritime Studies and Research, Mumbai, TS Chanakya, Navi Mumbai, Maritime Engineering and Research Institute, Kolkata, which are currently administered by the Directorate General of Shipping, are likely to be eventually placed under the proposed maritime university.
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News on Ports
KSPL
to set complete first phase of the Kakinada project The Kakinada
Sea Ports Ltd. (KSPL), the promoter of the Kakinada deep water
port is expected to complete the first phase of its development
in next 15 months, as per the schedule agreed with the Andhra
Pradesh state government. The state government, which recently
reviewed the progress of the project has stated that project will
achieve "financial closure" in next two months. The Kakinada port
was developed by the state government on a total outlay of about
Rs.293 crore, which included Rs. 242 crore loan from the Asian
Development Bank (ADB). The master plan for the port envisages
creation of 15 berths, involving an investment of about Rs.1,
500 crores.
Petronet
& Shell to go ahead with LNG terminal projects Apprehensions
of poor future demand for LNG, in view of recent gas strikes in
the Krishna-Godavari basin in Andhra Pradesh, two of the LNG terminal
project developers - Petronet LNG and Shell Gas have decided to
go ahead with their LNG terminal projects at Dahej and Hazira.
The government too has decided to extend extra support to make
these projects viable, by deciding to press for infrastructure
status and major fiscal breaks both at the state and Central level
to get commercial rates. The Ministry of Petroleum is also reportedly
negotiating with the government of Qatar for lowering the price
of contracted supplies of LNG.
SEZ
approved for KochiThe government
has approved the proposal for setting up of a port-based Special
Economic Zone (SEZ) at the Vallarpadam and Puthuvypeen area, under
the Cochin Port Trust (CPT). The proposal for setting up of the
SEZ is based on the considerations of generating cargo support
the new port facilities with a steady flow of traffic from the
immediate hinterland region.
Four
international port operators in race for Vallarpadam project Three
international port operators and two domestic majors are in the
race for the Rs.2,000 crore Vallarpadam Container Transshipment
Terminal project in Kochi. Three international parties in the
race include: CSX World Terminals (UK), NYK (Japan), Port of Singapore
Authority besides two domestic players - Maersk India and Larsen
& Toubro (L&T), which have submitted "requests for qualification
(RFQ) as deadline for pre-qualification bids ended on November
26 2002. P&O Ports (Australia), the sole bidder for the Vallarpadam
project, when it was floated a year ago has not participated in
the second round. The hub terminal is being built on a BOT (Build,
Operate and Transfer) basis. The Ministry of Shipping had earlier
cancelled the earlier bid by P&O Ports and ordered fresh tenders.
US
Port workers sign six-year deal with their employers The US
West coast long-shoremen and port employers have signed a six-year
deal, bringing to an end their dispute that resulted in 10-day
shut down of docks. The deal includes a consensus reached on go
ahead for the employers to introduce labour-saving technology
on the docks, while the workers got wage and pension increases.
One of the key aspect of the agreement was a deal on new technology,
such as computerized cargo handling machinery that employers insisted
was vital make the ports more efficient.
Major
ports add 124.40 mtpa capacity during 9th Plan Major
ports have created an aggregated additional capacity of 124.40
million tonnes per annum (mtpa) ion the Ninth plan period by way
of construction of additional berths and terminals, expansion
/extension of existing berths, upgradation of cargo handling equipment
and floating crafts through replacements and fresh acquisitions.
The Minister of State for Shipping, Mr. S. Thirunavukkarasar,
gave this information to the Parliament. The modernization projects
undertaken during the period under review included the completion
and operationalisation of two major projects, viz. construction
of a new port at Ennore and creation of mechanized coal handling
at Paradip port, involving a total capacity addition of 32 million
tonnes per annum.
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News on Logistics
Railway
freight earns Rs.2,262 crore in October '02 The transportation
of coal contributed 43 per cent of revenue at Rs. 986.98 crore
towards the railways total freight traffic of Rs. 2262.42 crore
in October, 2002. Foodgrains contributed Rs. 283.99 crore, cement
Rs. 160.79 crore, fertilizer Rs. 134.50 crore, iron & steel Rs.105.
5 crore, raw material Rs 95 14 crore and iron ore Rs.50.60 crore
during the month under review.
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