Ports to prepare Growth plans by January

The shipping ministry expects all the 12 major ports to file their business development plans in tune with global shipping trends by January 2007. While all the ports have appointed consultants, only a few have so far submitted interim reports.

The Indian Ports Association (IPA), the apex body of all ports under the ministry that will formulate the overall business policy, has appointed an apex consultant.

Ministry officials told FE that the business plan, a part of the national maritime policy, will be framed with a 20- year perspective but the action plan would be for seven years.

IPA consultant T Balakrishnan said, “The ministry has roped in Rotterdam port as the advising consultant and coordinator for the plan. The 12 major ports have appointed their own consultants through the global tender route.”

While Mumbai, Kandla and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust have appointed KPMG as their consultant, Kochi, Paradeep and Tuticorin have given Transcare the job. Vizag and New Mangalore have appointed Rotterdam Port, Ennore has appointed Hamburg. For the Kolkata Port Trust, which runs the port systems of Kolkata and Haldia, Royal Haskoning is doing the job with Crisil.

RK Jain, the IPA’s MD, said the interim reports received have already been forwarded to the ministry. “Although each port will have its own line of business development initiatives suiting its condition, a broad business development plan will evolve from each consultant’s study,” Jain said.

India needs to lower the transaction costs particularly for exports, as these have been going up.

Source: Finiancial Express