Shipping, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said that projects worth ₹1,20,000 crore investments in the ports and shipping sector will be showcased before potential investors next month.
The Minister said that the focus of the government is on creating more jobs in the maritime sector. He added that one crore jobs – 40 lakh direct and 60 lakh indirect – have been identified to be created in 27 port-based industrial clusters, coastal shipping and inland waterways under the Sagarmala project.
Shipbuilding yardsHe also talked about bringing in policies to revive shipbuilding yards. Business agreements worth ₹ 72,000 crore are expected to be signed during the maritime investment summit to be held next month in Mumbai.
The Minister underlined that in order to improve manufacturing, there is need to increase exports. He added that new ports have been announced at Wadhavan, Enayam (near Colachel) and Sagar with investment of ₹20,157 crore. In addition, 27 projects with investment of ₹ 12,696 crore, adding capacity of 116 million tonne per annum (MTPA) have been awarded in 2015-16 which include JNPT road connectivity (₹2,787 crore), mechanisation of coal berths in Paradip (₹1,633 crore), fifth oil berth in Mumbai (₹. 811 crore), Kandla container terminal (₹263 crore) , Kolkata floating storage and regasification unit or FSRU (₹3,500 crore) , Ennore capital dredging (₹425 crore), Paradip LPG Terminal (₹690 crore), New Mangalore mechanisation (₹470 crore), Goa dredging (₹194 crore).
Ennore oil terminalThe Minister said that 15 projects with investment of ₹6,879 crore are to be awarded by March which include Goa conversion of iron ore berths to multipurpose berths in Mormugao Port (₹1,100 crore), Ennore oil terminal (₹700 crore), Ennore capital dredging (₹600 crore) , Haldia floating POL facility (₹460 crore), Mumbai FSRU (₹2,740).