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NT Bureau
Chennai, Jan 19:
 

Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee at the international conference on ports and shipping in Chennai yesterday. Union Ministers T R Baalu, G K Vasan and CPI-M leader Sitaram Yeuchuri are present.

        External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee called for better rail-port connectivity for easier movement of containers from the ports as transport using the roadways has its limitations.

        Inaugurating the international conference on ports and shipping, held as part of the 125th year celebrations of the Chennai Port Trust here yesterday, the Union Minister said, 'Since the volume of cargo in containers is increasing significantly, it will be appropriate to upgrade the rail transport of containers, as it is a more economical and faster mode of transportation.'

        Mukherjee said the modernisation and development of ports formed an important part of the critical infrastructure imperative to national growth. He noted that India's GDP had been growing at eight percent per year in the last four years and the growth in export has tripled this feat. He also called for private sector participation in the development of terminals and the managing this on build, operate and transfer (BOT) basis is essential, as there are limited funds for the development of ports.

        He stressed the need for increase in maritime security in the wake of increased threats and incidents of terror strikes and attacks by pirates on ships. He regretted the fact that many states did not have a proper monitoring system in this regard, when as much as 90 percent of the export-import trade took place by sea.

        Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways T R Baalu said port traffic in Indian ports was expected to cross the 1 billion ton mark by 2010-11 from the present traffic of 574 million ton in 2005-06.

        CPI-M politburo member and member of parliament Sitaram Yeuchuri said a Maritime University was an essential prerequisite to advance and the institution 'should synergise the activities of the four major centres imparting maritime education that we have today.'

        Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation G K Vasan, DMK M P C Kuppusamy, Port Trust Chairman K Suresh, Shipping Secretary A K Mohapatra, Madras University Vice-Chancellor S Ramachandran and others participated.