Waiting time at major ports to reduce drastically: Sarbananda Sonowal

The wait time at major ports in India is expected to decrease if Sarbananda Sonowal's (shipping minister) ambitious goals are accomplished.

In the fiscal year (FY) 2020, it took an average of 0.95 days for a cargo ship to be berthed at a major port. The time a ship waits before docking at a port is known as the pre-berthing period.

The turnaround time for containers at important Indian ports is estimated to be roughly 26.5 hours. It is a reduction from about 45 hours in 2013–2014.

The shipping minister told the media that there should be no delay for either incoming or departing cargo.

It implies that there should be no waiting for vehicles hauling cargo or ships.

He said this would require cutting the present berthing wait time at busy ports, which is about a day in a half.

Sonowal said that public-private partnership (PPP) projects in the development of greenfield ports must be the main priority.

He said they must consider the PPP model because it will free up government funds for the construction of new ports. It would enable residents of coastal areas to live more comfortably and, at the same time, make it easier for businesses to get the greatest services.

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Also read: Govt to finalise 50 DPRs in FY23 to boost port connectivity