Member of Parliament from Visakhaptnam M. Sribharat has strongly endorsed India’s maritime trade reforms and extended his support for the Bills of Lading Bill, 2024 in Parliament, on Monday.
Emphasizing its significance in providing a robust legal framework to adapt to the constantly evolving landscape of international trade, he reiterated the NDA government’s commitment to strengthening the maritime sector, highlighting key achievements such as the doubling of cargo handling capacity at major ports and a notable reduction in turnaround time.
Addressing the issue of high freight costs, he said that it will impact trade competitiveness and urged the government to take measures to reduce shipping expenses.
He also pointed out that nearly 95% of India’s international cargo is transported on foreign vessels, stressing the urgent need to develop shipbuilding clusters to manufacture large ‘mother ships’ and reduce dependence on foreign carriers.
To accommodate mega vessels requiring an 18-metre draft, he highlighted the depth limitations at Indian ports, most of which range between 14 to 16 metres.
He proposed a dredging subsidy for major ports, including the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT), similar to practices in foreign countries where governments absorb dredging costs to attract larger vessels. This would enhance India’s competitiveness and facilitate the development of trans-shipment hubs.
Mr. Sribharat also emphasized on the importance of promoting cruise tourism and highlighted the ₹100 crore investment in the Vizag cruise terminal. However, he pointed out that VPT currently lacks an e-visa facility, which is available at other major ports, and urged the Minister to coordinate with the relevant Ministry to introduce this facility at VPT.
Highlighting A.P.’s partnership with the Centre, he said the State has a 975 km coastline and 14 notified minor/non-major ports, which has immense growth potential. Appreciating Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s maritime policy and vision, he said that the CM was keen on modernizing infrastructure and actively positioning Andhra Pradesh as a key player in global maritime trade.
