With growing maritime trade, major Indian ports are projected to handle about 800 million tonnes (mt) of cargo over the next five years from 530 mt in 2008-09 and several ports are in the process of creating necessary infrastructure to handle the growth in cargo traffic.

While the shipping ministry forecasts a three-fold increase in cargo handling capacity of major ports by 2025-26 by augmenting the capacity to 1595.07 mt, the major ports are expected to handle about 798 mt of cargo by 2014-15, according to an official statement of the shipping ministry.

Of all the 12 ports, Visakhapatnam Port is forecast to handle the largest cargo traffic at 105 mt (73 mt projected for 2010-11) by 2014-15, followed by Kandla Port at 92.5 mt (78 mt projected for 2010-11) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port at 91 mt (55 mt projected for 2010-11).

With total handling capacity of 574.77 mt, the 12 major Indian ports handled total cargo traffic of 530.53 mt in 2008-09 when compared with 519.3 mt in 2007-08. The traffic handling capacity of major Ports has gone up by about 48 per cent in the last five years. It increased from 389.5 mt in 2003-04 to 574.77 mt in 2008-09.

About 80 per cent of the total volume of traffic handled was in the form of dry and liquid bulk with the residual consisting of general cargo, including containerised cargo.

The present warehousing infrastructure in Paradeep, Chennai, Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru, Visak­hapatnam, Tuticorin, Co­chin, New Mangalore and Mormugao Ports is able to meet the requirements of cargo traffic in their respective ports. However, Kolkata and Kandla ports need to have more warehousing facilities, as their current warehousing infrastructure is not adequate to meet the demand.

At the Kolkata port, possibility of expanding the warehouse facility in the vicinity of the dock is being explored in consultation with customs authority. At Haldia Dock Complex (HDC) warehousing capacity is able to meet the cargo being presently handled. However, keeping in view the increased requirement of storage area, the government has initiated action for creation of additional storage area. Kandla port is constructing new godowns and open plots to meet the cargo storage requirements. In some of the ports, Container Freight Stations are being developed to cater the future need of exim traffic, said the statement.

At the Ennore Port, the nature of cargo handled at present and projected to be handled during the next five years does not require warehousing infrastructure to be developed in Ennore.