Maritime infrastructure facilities
Maritime infrastructure is the backbone of global supply chains and national trade. In India, with a coastline spanning 7,516 km and over 14,500 km of navigable inland waterways, the maritime sector handles 95% of trade by volume and 70% by value.
Key Maritime Infrastructure Facilities
1. Ports & Deep-Water Hubs
Major Ports: India has 12 Major Government-Administered Ports (e.g., Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority [JNPA], Deendayal Port, Paradip, Cochin, Visakhapatnam) plus the newly approved Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra.
Transshipment Terminals: Facilities like Vizhinjam International Transshipment Deepwater Seaport in Kerala feature natural drafts exceeding 18 meters, allowing ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) to berth directly in India instead of routing through Colombo or Singapore.
Non-Major & Private Ports: Over 200 notified minor and private ports (such as Mundra Port, the country’s largest commercial port) operate under state maritime boards.
2. Cargo Handling & Dry Port Logistics
Container & Bulk Terminals: Specialized berths equipped with automated quay cranes, cold storage, liquid bulk pipelines (for petroleum/chemical cargo), and mechanized bulk handlers (for coal, iron ore, and grain).
Inland Container Depots (ICDs) & Multimodal Logistics Parks (MMLPs): Dry ports located inland that connect manufacturers directly to coastal seaports via Dedicated Freight Corridors (DFCs).
3. Inland Waterways & Coastal Shipping
National Waterways (NWs): Rivers transformed into low-cost freight channels, such as NW-1 (Ganga), NW-2 (Brahmaputra), and NW-3 (West Coast Canal, Kerala).
Ro-Ro & Ro-Pax Terminals: Roll-On/Roll-Off ferry infrastructure enabling seamless transport of loaded trucks and vehicles across sea inlets and rivers to bypass road congestion.
4. Shipbuilding, Repair & Green Port Utilities
Dry Docks & Shipyards: Major shipyards (e.g., Cochin Shipyard Limited, Mazagon Dock) handle ship construction, defense frigates, and commercial ship repair.
Green Maritime Infrastructure: Installation of shore-to-ship power supply, LNG/Green Hydrogen bunkering stations, and mechanized automated waste management (under initiatives like the Harit Sagar Guidelines).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the Sagarmala Programme?
A: Sagarmala is the flagship initiative launched by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways aimed at port-led development. It focuses on modernizing existing ports, improving rail/road hinterland connectivity, creating Coastal Economic Zones (CEZs), and developing coastal communities.
Q2: What is the difference between a Major Port and a Non-Major Port in India?
A:
Major Ports: Directly governed by the Central Government under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021.
Non-Major / Minor Ports: Governed and managed by respective State Maritime Boards (e.g., Gujarat Maritime Board, Maharashtra Maritime Board) or operated via private concessions.
Q3: What is the “Landlord Port Model”?
A: A governance model where the public port authority acts as a regulatory body and landlord, holding title to the land, while private operators manage cargo terminals, machinery, and daily operations under long-term Public-Private Partnership (PPP) concessions.
Q4: Why is transshipment infrastructure so important for India?
A: Historically, a large portion of Indian container cargo was sent on smaller feeder ships to foreign hubs (like Colombo, Singapore, or Dubai) to be reloaded onto massive main-line cargo ships. Deep-water transshipment ports in India allow large ships to berth directly, reducing freight costs, transit times, and foreign currency reliance.
Q5: How much cheaper is inland/coastal water transport compared to rail and road?
A: Water transport is significantly more economical and energy-efficient. On average, moving freight via inland waterways costs roughly ₹0.50–₹0.60 per tonne-km, compared to ₹1.40 for rail and ₹2.20+ for road transport, while emitting up to 75% less carbon dioxide