In a development that reduces the cost and time for transporting goods to landlocked Mizoram, Sittwe deep-water port constructed by India off the west coast of Myanmar is now ready for operation.
It is a part of USD 484 million Kaladan multimodal project.
Its objective is to create a multi-modal sea, river and road transport corridor for shipment of cargo from the eastern ports of India to Myanmar through the port as well as to the northeastern region of India via Myanmar.
Union shipping minister Mansukh Mandaviya said that port construction is complete and now a private company needs to start operating it, reports LiveMint.
He also said that the government plans to develop Tuticorin and Kochi ports as transshipment hubs. We will make it comparable to the Colombo port so that large sized vessels can come to India.
“Work is on under the Atmanirbhar Bharat programme to reduce dependence on other countries. Our aim is that Indian cargo should be transhipped from Indian ports and it should happen on a large scale,” he said.
About the Maritime India Summit 2021, the minister said that the summit’s aim is to make the world know what India plans to do in the maritime sector.
He termed 427 MoUs (memorandum of understanding) and over three lakh crore investment commitments made at the summit as a proof of growing global interest in India’s maritime sector.