According to Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, the average turnaround time for ships at India’s major ports has decreased by as much as 48.65%, from 93.59 hours in 2013–14 to 48.06 hours in 2023–24.
This is a result of Indian ports being more efficient in processing ships and cargo, which is being cleared at a much faster rate, which lowers logistical costs. In a written response, the minister stated, “The government has built new berths, terminals, and parking plazas; modernized existing berths and terminals; streamlined procedures through digitalization; and increased hinterland connectivity through rail and road in order to improve turnaround time.”
At the Jawahar Lal Nehru Port near Mumbai, the average turnaround time for ships has been lowered to just 26 hours. The turnaround times at the other main ports are 54.24 hours at Deendayal Port (Kadla) and 44.92 hours at Chennai. Mumbai is 62.97 hours, Kamarajar Port (Tamil Nadu) is 44.37 hours, Visakhapatnam is 65.86 hours, Paradip Port is 41.61 hours, Cochin is 33.4 hours, and New Mangalore Port is 40.44 hours. 60.85 hours at Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (Kolkata).
In major ports, vessel sequencing and berthing allocation are carried out in accordance with the Ministry’s published berthing policy. The process of developing infrastructure and increasing the capacity of major ports is ongoing. It entails building new ports and terminals, mechanizing already existing docks and terminals, developing road and rail links, and investing in capital dredging to deepen drafts in order to draw larger boats, the minister stated.
According to a report released earlier this year by the World Bank and S&P Global Marketing Intelligence, nine Indian ports made it to the Global Top 100 in the most recent edition of the Container Port Performance Index (CPPI), 2023, which is a major boost to the country’s port development agenda.
In order to modernize the ports and increase their efficiency, Sonowal credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ambitious Sagarmala scheme. This is a huge accomplishment for the Indian ports and demonstrates the work done by the Narendra Modi administration to modernize, mechanize, and make them more tech-savvy in order to boost productivity and efficiency. The effective handling of ships and cargo has significantly improved via operational efficiency and service delivery, the minister said.
