Maritime Gateway, a magazine, is to organise a summit to showcase the potential of India’s east coast here on September 21-22, according to a press release.
India’s east coast, which lags behind the West in terms of cargo movement, is now gearing up to capture a greater share of business as trade with China and other East Asian countries is on the rise. The ports on the East Coast can cut down the transit time for ships considerably. The cargo shift will spur the development of not just port and allied infrastructure on the East Coast, but also that of special export zones and the industry in general.
Coal import: The growth of ports on the East Coast is also driven by the increased demand for coal for a number of power projects coming up in the area. With the increase in rail connectivity, a lot of imported coal through the western ports will be diverted through eastern ports.
The summit will provide industry a platform to exchange notes and form networks and global linkages. It will highlight the potential of the 12-odd ports and terminals on the East Coast. The summit will have 30 speakers representing all stakeholders of the maritime community in the region. It will also be attended by over 250 delegates from various countries in South-East Asia.