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The Gujarat Maritime Board is making a renewed bid to seek authority for giving single voyage permission for movement of inland water vessels from one port to another.
Currently, the Directorate General of Shipping gives such a permission, which is causing delay in movement of inland water vessels, besides resulting in a fall in cargo handling at anchorage and prolonging the turnaround time of vessels at Gujarat ports.
The Gujarat Minister for Industries, Planning and Finance, Mr Saurabhbhai Patel, had made a fervent appeal on this issue at the 13th Maritime States Development council (MSDC) meeting held in Hyderabad earlier this month. This is expected to be followed up with a meeting with the Union Shipping Minister and the Director General of Shipping.
“We have over 300 inland water vessels that handle significant cargo at anchorage. As the office of the DGS now gives permission for movement of these vessels from one port to another, it takes about two to three days sometimes to get the approval, resulting in demurrage to vessels waiting at our ports,” Capt S.C. Mathur, Chief Nautical Officer of Gujarat Maritime Board, told Business Line.
The board has also sought extension of inland vessels limit for smoother operation of barges along the State’s coast.
The board expects that grant of this authority to it will also boost coastal shipping opportunities along Gujarat coast. Currently the share of coastal cargo in the total maritime trade of India is about seven per cent, while Gujarat share is 12.4 per cent, as against the comparable share in the US and EU of 15 per cent and 43 per cent.
The major coastal shipping routes in Gujarat include Jafrabad to Madgalla, Kutch region to Saurashtra, Sikka to Hazira and Pipavav to Kandla. “We have plans to encourage coastal shipping through private sector participation. It is also proposed to move coastal cargo from Kribhco at Hazira to Pipavav, Navlakhi to Cochin and from Kutch to other parts of the country,” Capt Mathur said.
As per plans drawn up by the board, the cargo handling capacity of 273 million tonnes by Gujarat non-major ports is set to increase to 508 million tonnes by 2014-15. Over the last 10 years, the capacity has grown at 12.2 per cent annually from 73 million tonnes in 2000-01.
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