CAMPAIGN MEET: (From left) Krishnasamy, MP, T.R. Baalu, Minister for Shipping, Road Transport and Highways, Sudharshana Nachiappan, MP and G. Jayalal, Chairman, IMPCC, at the meeting held in Chennai Port Trust on Saturday. — Photo: K.V. Sri nivasan

CHENNAI: The National Institute of Port Management (NIPM) at Uthandi on the outskirts of Chennai would be upgraded into a National Maritime Academy, Union Minister of Shipping, Road Transport T.R. Baalu said here on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Baalu said steps had been initiated for effecting the upgradation of the NIPM. Discussions in this regard were held at a meeting of the chairpersons of various port trusts in New Delhi recently.

Around 15 acres of land would be acquired for the expansion work. The proposed academy would have more facilities and new courses.

Agreements would be signed with some U.S.-based maritime academies.

He had detailed discussions with the U.S. Secretary for Transport recently in this connection, Mr. Baalu said.

On the ongoing dredging work in the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, the Minister said up to 20-lakh cubic metres had been dredged. The Dredging Corporation of India had been carrying out part of the work in the first phase.

Technical bids were opened for the remaining phases, he said adding that two parties had been identified. Of them, Hyundai would take up dredging operation in the second part of the Palk straits while Jandenol of Belgium and Boskolis of Netherlands would jointly undertake the work in the Adams Bridge area.

The cargo handling capacity of the ports in the country had registered an average growth of 11.14 per cent and it was expected to reach the 800 million tonne mark by 2013-2014 from the present level of 397.5 million tonnes, Mr. Baalu said. As part of the development activities, dredging work would be taken up at various ports. Several road and rail connectivity projects had also been executed. New terminals would come up in some ports.

The Indian tonnage had grown from 7.05 million gross tonnes to 8.31 million gross tonnes during the past 18 months, thanks to the introduction of the tonnage tax, which provided a level-playing field for Indian shipping companies. The new levy had also fetched additional revenue of Rs. 300 crores to the Government.

Mr. Baalu said a total of 1.29-lakh training mandays had been created for seafarers.

As the Government of India had endorsed Article 108 of the International Labour Organisation convention, the "qualified seafarers of our country would not require passport and visa to go to other countries. Steps had also been taken to prevent harassment of seafarers," he said.

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