The Hindu : National : 127 officials appointed for fishing vessels registration

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127 officials appointed for fishing vessels registration

Special Correspondent

Single agency to handle the process

To prevent smuggling of nuclear weapons, Customs Department is setting up scanners
To buy 32 ships during this fiscal, Vasan moves Finance Ministry to secure money

NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Shipping has streamlined registration of fishing vessels to strengthen coastal security.

Minister for Shipping G.K. Vasan said henceforth registration would be done by a single agency under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1958. For this, 127 registrars had been appointed in various coastal States.

To prevent smuggling of nuclear weapons, the Customs Department was setting up scanners. The Shipping Ministry’s role was limited to providing facilities.

These steps were part of the Ministry’s 100-day agenda, which Mr. Vasan spelt out on Wednesday.

On the occasion, the Paradip Port Trust signed a concession agreement with Blue Water Iron Ore Terminal Private Limited, a special purpose vehicle floated by the consortium of Noble Group limited, Gammon Infrastructure Projects Limited and MMTC, for construction of a deep-draught iron ore terminal.

The terminal will come up in three years at an estimated cost of Rs. 591.35 crore. On completion, it will help to increase the port’s capacity by 10 million tonnes per annum and facilitate handling of cape-size vessels up to 1.25 lakh deadweight tonnage.

The project is the first to be executed through public-private partnership under the new model concession agreement. It will be a precursor to five more projects to be launched in the next 100 days at an estimated cost of Rs.3,319.14 crore. The other projects are likely to come up at the Paradip port, Tuticorin port, Mormugao port, New Mangalore port and Ennore.

To buy at least 32 ships during this fiscal, Mr. Vasan said he had approached the Finance Ministry to secure money on easy terms. Earlier, foreign banks used to provide finance, but with the downturn, they had stopped lending; but his Ministry was hopeful of the government roping in commercial banks for loans, he said.

The Dredging Corporation of India will acquire three Trailer Suction Hopper Dredgers at an estimated cost of Rs.1,570 crore by July-end. The Ministry planned to buy two passenger ships for the Lakshwadeep and Andaman and Nicobar administration.

Mr. Vasan said Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshwadeep would be made major ports. The Cabinet’s approval had been sought.

The Hindustan Shipyard Limited, Vishakapatnam, is likely to be handed over to the Defence Ministry.

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