Developments in ports needed for enhanced trade: Shipping Corp

New Delhi, Mar 13 (UNI) The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd and UK-based Ports and Terminals Group today said developments across both ports and terminal faclities were required concurrently for India to achieve the desired growth in its trade and commerce.

''Over the years, there has been a visible transformation and changes on the Maritime front, with a growing recognition that there needs to be rapid investment - in developing India's ports and terminal facilities; as well as developing the hinterland connectivity for evacuation from the terminals,'' said Shipping Corporation of India CMD S Hajara at a CII-organised meeting with the United Kingdom Ports delegation here.

For building the partnerships between India and UK in the ports sector, Mr Hajara highlighted measures that could be considered by both the countries such as leasing out assets of existing ports, construction and operation of terminals, berths and storage facilities, leasing out of equipment for port handling and leasing of floating crafts from the private sector and captive facilities for port based industries.

A delegation of the UK company is in the country from March 12-15, to meet Indian public and private sector firms working on port development.

The principal objective of the trade mission is to meet leading representatives of India's ports sector, including port operators, trading houses, contractors and financiers, to showcase the interests of the UK's ports sector and to update on India's ports development and privatisation policy.

It also aims to learn more of the country's port investment opportunities, particularly those involving the private sector, and to update on ports management and security policy/practice, thereby establishing the basis for structuring investment and management partnerships for the immediate development and operation of new port facilities, the CII said in a statement.

Mr John Owens, Chairman, Ports and Terminals Group and the Mission Leader, said, ''There is a long history of successful collaboration in ports development by Indian and British interests and this visit is an ideal opportunity to establish and progress investment and operations partnerships.'' The mission team includes port developers, representatives of the UK's leading international port consultancies, port infrastructure specialists and international security interests.

UNI