Shipping minister directs officials to ensure smooth movement of cargo
New Delhi: Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday reviewed key maritime projects and directed officials to ensure that business remains as usual. He also reviewed measures taken to ensure smooth movement of cargo.
Key Indian ports near the India-Pakistan maritime border include Kandla, Mundra and Hazira in Gujarat. All these ports are on high alert and have heightened security.
Organizations under the ministry, including the Shipping Corporation of India, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Ltd, Indian Port Global Ltd, Directorate General of Shipping, and Mumbai Port Authority, participated in the review meeting, said an official statement.
Also read: Cargo traffic on National Waterways hits record high of 146 million tonnes in FY 2024-25
'Considering the prevailing situation, the union minister took stock of key maritime projects and directed the officials to ensure that the business remains as usual. Sonowal also reviewed measures to be taken to ensure smooth and normal movement of cargo operations," the statement said.
The review comes amid the escalating aerial activity and attempted missiles attacks and shelling by Pakistan.
Sonowal also reviewed current operations, fleet augmentation and long-term expansion strategies aligned with the government's Vision 2047.
A review of the Greenfield Mega Port project at Vadhavan was held with Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority chairman Unmesh Wagh and senior officials. The minister stressed the need to fast-track the development of the port.
Also read: LNG traders divert four US cargoes from Europe to Asia
The minister also met India Ports Global Ltd chairman Sunil Mukundan to assess the company's global performance. Discussions included the progress and future plans for Chabahar port in Iran and Sittwe port in Myanmar, projects that aim to expand India's maritime footprint internationally.
On 5 May, Mint reported that the state-run India Ports Global Ltd is leading a consortium to acquire and operate 20 commercial ports across Asia, Africa and India, two people aware of the matter said. The company, which operates Iran's landmark Chabahar terminal, has set its eyes on ports in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Africa, West and East Asia, as well as in India.
A separate meeting was held with Indian Port Rail and Ropeway Corporation Ltd (IPRCL) chairman M.K. Semwal and senior management to assess the progress on critical rail connectivity projects, particularly those supporting Inland Waterways Authority of India operations in Assam and infrastructure across major ports. The minister urged IPRCL to prioritize the development of port-linked rail tracks in view of the rising cargo volumes.
In addition, the minister interacted with the newly constituted National Shipping Board, welcoming its chairperson and members.
Also read: Arrested Russian captain of a cargo vessel involved in North Sea collision charged
'All our agencies, organizations and teams are working towards the realization of this vision of PM Modi to transform our country as Viksit Bharat. We met to review our key projects and take measures towards swift realization of these maritime goals," Sonowal said.
Also present were T.K. Ramachandran, secretary (Ports, Shipping and Waterways), and R. Lakshmanan, joint secretary (Ports), who participated in the high-level deliberations. The minister also reviewed the progress of the National Maritime Heritage Complex at Lothal, Gujarat.
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