Marine industry offers huge potential: CII

Mumbai, Feb 25 (PTI) With 7,600 kilometres of coastlineavailable in the country, there is a need for the governmentto develop infrastructure to boost the marine industry, anapex industry body today said.

"Waterways is the greenest form of transport that canreduce load on the land. India needs to tap this sector andhave a dialogue with the Centre to develop the marine industryas a whole by constructing the required infrastructure," CII''sWestern Region Chairman Arun Nanda said at the MumbaiInternational Boat Show 2011, here.

The industry body also demanded that Boating, whichoffers huge potential, should be granted a separate Industrystatus since it has tremendous potential.

Infrastructure and Construction of Marinas are very muchessential to promote Boating as an Industry, MumbaiInternational Boat Show''s Chairman, Maneck Davar said.

Boating will also help promote water sports and leisureboating, which will lead to generating employmentopportunities, he added.