Indian Ports Association has launched a request for expressions of interest (RFEOI) for the development of berths for coastal shipping on public private partnership (PPP).

The berths will be equipped to handle cargo specific needs such as bulk (coal, iron ore, fertilizer, cement) break bulk (steel coils, pellets, timber, project cargo etc), containers, automobiles or liquid based on regional requirements. The project components will include:

• Berth of 250-300 m length
• Cargo handling equipments
• Backup area with parking facilities
• Warehouse
• Rail siding
• Port buildings and utilities
• Necessary equipment, electrical systems, water supply and disposal, and IT system

The private developer shall be responsible for development, financing, construction, operations and maintenance of for the project at the landlord port.

The locations for the projects are proposed anywhere alongside the long coastline of India. Although the major port locations, where, coastal movements would be preferable to support existing deepsea movements are :

• Kolkata/Haldia
• Paradip
• Vishakhapatnam
• Chennai
• Kochi
• Mormugao
• New Mangalore
• Kandla

In India, coastal shipping moves approx 15% of the local freight despite a coastline of 7,517 km. The share is low compared with the European Union, where coastal shipping has a 43% share of the cargo traffic.

The major ports have handled 556 MT of cargo in 2013-14, roughly 19% of which is coastal traffic. The commodities carried by coastal shipping have mainly been bulk and break bulk commodities. The cargo mix has not changed over the years.