The Hindu Business Line : Kochi to host maritime council meet from Dec 21

The eighth meeting of the Maritime States Development Council, the coordinating advisory body for the integrated development of major and non-major ports in the country, will be held here on December 21-22. The Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Mr T.R. Baalu, is expected to chair the meeting.

The Ministry of Shipping, Road Transport and Highways had set up the council in 1997 under the Chairmanship of the Union Minister for Shipping, with the Ministers in charge of ports of maritime States and union territories as members.

The terms of reference of the council include assessing in consultation with state governments the future development of existing and new minor ports by the respective maritime States either directly or through captive users and private participation. It also includes considering the adequacy of existing legal framework and statutory legal clearances required to provide conducive legal regime for such developments.

Other items in the terms of reference include consideration and formulation of master plan and perspective plans for minor ports in the country as well as monitoring the development of minor ports, captive ports and other private ports in the maritime states with a view to ensuring their integrated development with major ports.

Assessing the requirements of infrastructure such as roads, rail, inland water transport and to make suitable recommendations to the ministers concerned would be another priority area.

About 100 delegates from different parts of the country, including Secretary and senior officers of the Ministry of Shipping, Chairmen of all major ports, officials of the Inland Waterways Authority of India, Tariff Authority of Major Ports, National Shipping Board and Indian Ports Association and other maritime related government organisations are expected to attend the meeting.

Cochin Port Trust is hosting the meeting on behalf of the Ministry of Shipping.