UK Ports Mission to visit Kolkata on March 11

Kolkata, Mar 9(UNI) Close on the heels of the UK Health Mission, a high-powered UK Ports Mission will visit India from March 11 to 15 to meet Indian public and private sector port authorities in Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi and scout for business opportunities.

An official release said here today that the 12-member delegation, which would start its India visit in Kolkata from March 11, is being brought to this country by the Ports and Terminals Group (PTG), an UK-based trade association, which have interests in port activities, and work for development and expansion of private sector ports in UK.

Chairman of PTG John Owens said, 'This visit is an ideal opportunity to establish new investment and operations partnerships.

We are delighted to welcome on the mission, which include UK Government's Ports Advisory Group Chairman James Sutcliffe, Infrastructure Projects Director Duarte Figueira among others.'' British Deputy High Commissioner to Eastern India Simon Wilson said the Mission's interest in Kolkata and Eastern India was another indicator that the UK companies' have confidence in Eastern India.

Mr Wilson hoped that their visit would lead to concrete business. He was happy to note that the mission comes a week after a healthcare Mission visited the city and in tandem with a 6-member Northern Ireland Mission comprising world experts in the mineral processing sector.

The principal objectives of this Mission are to meet the leading representatives of Indian ports sector, including port operators, trading houses, contractors and financiers, to showcase the interests of the UK's ports sector.

The delegation would update themselves on India's port related developments, privatisatioin policy, investment opportunities as well as policy and practice on ports security.

UNI