Shipping Ministry targets 800 MT handling capacity by 2010-12

Mangalore, Nov 17 (UNI) New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) Chairman Tamilvanan today said that with changing scenario in shipping and maritime activities, the Shipping Ministry has set a target of 800 million tonnes handling capacity in all major ports of the country by 2010-12.

Inaugurating a two-day national seminar on 'Winds of Change in Shipping', jointly organised by the Mangalore chapter of the Company of Master Mariners of India and Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers, Madras branch, here, he said the Ministry has also targetted to achieve a total projected growth of 615 million tonnes by all major ports by 2010-12 from 397 million tonnes in 2005-06.

Mr Tamilvanan said that with the improvement of facilities in ports in recent times, the efficiency has also increased. The Government was also keen on increasing the capacity of ports in the country by inviting private investments into the port sector.

He said that with the commissioning of a multi-purpose berth at NMPT with 14 mt draft and 350 mt length, the port could now handle even 40,000 tonne vessels. The port had handled a total of 2.3 million tonnes from February till date in the new berth.

Tolani Maritime Institute Course Coordinator and former Nautical Advisor to Government Capt P S Barve, in his keynote address, stressed the need to find a solution to serious accidents such as collisions, grounding and fire despite introduction of manning and rest hours by IMO/ILO. Most of these accidents were attributed human errors both on board as well as ashore, lack of training, unfamiliarity with equipment and fatigue, he noted.

He said automation in parts was present on board and should be improved. However, another driver towards automation was the present shortage of manpower worldwide, mainly due to non-availability of berths on board ship for initial sea training for engineers and dock cadets. ''Though we have the capacity to train more than 1,200 dock cadets ashore, we have only 600 to 800 training berths,'' he lamented.

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