Vizag to remain top cargo port

The Visakhapatnam port, the number one port in the country for the past seven years in cargo-handling, is set to handle 63 million tonnes during the financial year and retain the slot, according to the Chairman, Mr. K Ratna Kishore. He was delivering a lecture here under the auspices of the Centre for Policy Sixties on the theme, India at Sixty, on Saturday.

The Chairman said the other ports were close on the heels of Vizag, but all attempts would be made to retain the top slot and “with your blessings we will succeed.”

Last year, Vizag handled 56.3 million tonnes. In the first quarter of the financial year, the port handled 15.2 mt compared with 12.9 mt in the same quarter last year. “Vizag achieving the top slot or crossing the 50-mt mark is nothing to write home about. Some of the Chinese ports handle 250 mt per annum. We have to go a long way in the infrastructure sector.”

He said it was good that the Union Government had formulated a national maritime policy in 2005, but certain problems would still have to be addressed.

“We have realized in the era after liberalization that in fixing the price of any product in the marketplace the cost-plus approach would not work. We have to cut down on costs to stay competitive. A similar approach is required in fixing the tariff for the major ports and the Tariff Regulatory Authority for Major Ports would have to think along those lines.”