Gadkari calls for more private investments in shipping sector

Union Shipping, Highways and Transport Minister, Nitin Gadkari, today called for more private investments in the shipping sector. Investments will include aiding construction of indigenous variants of catamarans, hovercrafts and seaplanes.

According to the Union Minister the Kochi Shipyard has been asked to develop prototypes of such indigenous variants.

“I have asked the Kochi Shipyard to develop these indigenous low cost sea faring vessels. Such vessels will come in three variants – 30, 50 and 90 seaters”, he said during a session organised by the MCC Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Each of these vessels may cost less than Rs. 60 crore.

“We also need to develop cruises”, he said.

Ship Building & Inland Waterways

According to Gadkari, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Guwahati and Kandala have the potential to be developed as possible ship building yards.

The Union Minister was also hopeful that the legislation to convert 112 waterways as national waterways may be passed by the Parliament in the upcoming session.

Currently, the Centre is developing the National Waterways 1 between Haldia and Allahadbad.

The World Bank has given India a loan of Rs. 4,200 crore to improve the waterways infrastructure.

Three multi-modal ports – at Haldia (West Bengal), Sahibganj (Jharkhand) and Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) – will also be developed – to aid transportation of goods by linking them with rail and road network – as a part of the inland waterways project.
Source: The Hindu Business Line