The year 2018 has been a significant one for the logistic and shipping sector in India.

After a hiatus in 2014, there are emerging signs of takers for PPP projects in some of the sectors, including ports. Baring some shortcomings, PPPs have achieved resonable success rate. However, it is too early to say that they have been a grand success.

In an initiative to ensure faster evacuation of cargo, Visakhapatnam Port Trust and National Highway Authority of India will take up Rs 100 crore port connectivity road widening project.

The East Coast Maritime Business Summit has cautioned that it is as important to build the supporting infrastructure for speedy cargo evacuation from ports as to build new ports or to add to the capacity of the existing ones, as otherwise ports will merely become stockyards.

Ports under the shipping ministry plan to go paperless, a move that will not only reduce logistics costs but also cut bureaucratic delays faced by exporters and importers.

Although the concept of green ports is emerging as a necessary infrastructure solution for ports worldwide, India has to first step up its levels of cargo handling efficiency and logistics connectivity with the hinterland before it can match international standards in the 'greening' processes.

RPS Kahlon, Chairman of Kolkata Port Trust (KoPT) informed that the proposed container terminal project at Diamond Harbour in West Bengal would benefit from the proposal of the Railway Ministry to invest Rs 3,800 crore on port connectivity projects. He said KoPT welcomes the proposal as it will help the cargo evacuation and linkages in the proposed Diamond Harbour Container Terminal and Sagar

Developers of ports tell us how port connectivity has boosted business, while users say poor connectivity are limiting their plans.

Cochin Port Trust’s propo­sed projects have been facing clearance issues from the Navy with respect to the height of the proposed installations in the flying funnel area in Willingdon Island.