New regulator soon for all ports

Ports may soon be able to fix their own market-based tariffs for higher returns, with the Shipping Ministry mulling doing away with the Tariff Authority for Major Ports and bringing in a new regulator for the sector.

“Major ports feel that they are at a disadvantage and want the Government to either make Tariff Authority for Major Ports (TAMP) mandatory for all ports or free them from its jurisdiction,” a Shipping Ministry official told PTI.

The Shipping Ministry is working on establishing a port regulator for all ports for setting, monitoring and regulating service levels and technical and performance standards.

“Now TAMP would be the grievance redressal mechanism,” the official said adding that the new body may also see a change of name.

No regulators

Maritime States in the country including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Maharashtra do not have regulators on the lines of country's power sector which have State electricity regulatory commissions that regulate electricity tariffs in the States.

“Maritime State governments do not have their own regulatory authority. This authority would do the regulatory work and is aimed at providing a level playing field for all major and minor ports,” he said.

13 major ports

There are 13 major ports in the country — Kandla, Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Marmagao, New Mangalore, Kochi, Kolkata, Haldia, Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Tuticorin and Port Blair.

TAMP was constituted in April 1997 to provide for an independent authority to regulate all tariffs, both vessel-related and cargo-related.