The Hindu Business Line : National Maritime Day

SELECTING a venue has never been a problem for the National Maritime Day celebration committee in Mumbai. But this year seems to be different. The event is being planned on a grand scale. The chief guest for the main event on April 5 is expected to be none other than the Prime Minister himself, and the theme chosen for the week-long celebration is his pet project, "Sagar Mala."

The Shipping Ministry (or Minister?) wants the main function to be held at Jawaharlal Nehru Port. But the organising committee under the chairmanship of the director general of shipping has already booked the Y.V. Chavan Hall, near Mantralaya, at Nariman Point.

While the Ministry thinks JN Port is a more suitable venue considering VIP security, the committee is of the view that no other place can be safer than the one near Mantralaya, which is under 24-hour security watch.

National Maritime Day is being celebrated to commemorate the sailing of the first Indian steamship Loyalty on April 5, 1919 from Mumbai to London. The day has been observed as National Maritime Day since 1964. All the major ports in the country observe the day but the main event is normally held in Mumbai.

The expenses are met mainly by collecting contributions from shipowners and other shipping interests. Over the years the event has become a routine affair with neither the government nor the shipping industry attaching too much significance to it.

If indications are anything to go by, this year the event, held close to the general elections, is going to be a mega affair. Interestingly, the Ministry has indicated that all expenses will be met jointly by two port trusts — Mumbai and JNPT. It will be interesting for JN Port, which has been in the limelight after it floated the tender for the second private terminal, to host the event.

Moreover, this has come at a time when the Shipping Minister and his deputy are taking a special interest in the development of JN port. In the past, Bombay Port or the Shipping Corporation of India used to play host to such extravaganzas. Now Bombay port is sick and the SCI is being privatised. Bombay Port will have to be satisfied as a silent partner in the affair, reminiscing about the good old days. For SCI, keeping a safe distance is prudent, as it is currently under the lens of the Disinvestment Ministry.

As per the plan, on the same day, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Sagar Mala project — an ambitious project (involving an estimated investments of Rs 1,00,000 crore) to build a chain of ports around the country and link them with roads and railways.

Shipowners are happy about the Ministry's decision, but feel that the JNPT venue may not attract a large quality crowd. If nothing else, the event will give boost the image of the maritime sector. If that happens, the credit should go to the Shipping Secretary, Mr D. T. Joseph, who has been trying to create a maritime constituency.

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