The long coastline of India is dotted with 11 major ports that are managed by the Port Trust of India under Central Government jurisdiction. There are also 139 minor operable ports under the jurisdiction of the respective State Governments. The ports are located at Calcutta/Haldia, Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port at Nhava Sheva, Madras, Cochin, Vishakhapatnam, Kandla, Mormugao, Paradip, New Mangalore and Tuticorin. The major ports handle 90 percent of the all-India port throughput, and thus bear the brunt of sea-borne trade. During 1996-1997, the total cargo handled at major ports was 227.13 million tons, registering a growth of 5.6 percent over 1995-1996. Dry and liquid bulk make up about 80 percent of the port traffic in volume with general cargo, including the containerized cargo, constituting the remaining traffic.
The predominant commodities handled at these ports are POL (42 percent), iron ore (18 percent), coal (15 percent), containers (8 percent), fertilizers (5 percent) others (12 percent). Major increases in traffic were observed in food grains (26.7 percent), other liquids (33.3 percent) and containerized cargo (19.1 percent). The composition of traffic has undergone significant changes in recent years. Berths in India, very often, are occupied 100 percent leaving no time for maintenance. The Indian ports are characterized by the following:
* Ships have to wait long in the channel for berthing, and productivity in loading and unloading is low. The national average turn-around time of vessels for liquid, dry bulk, general cargo and containers is estimated at 3.4 days, 9 days and 3.6 days respectively.
*It is labor intensive and mechanization process is non-existent or slow.
* Night navigation is not available, and ships have to wait for daylight.
* Equipment used is outdated and obsolete.
* Restrictions in navigation channels do not allow bigger vessels to be berthed.
* Handing vessels and feeder vessels in container berths is time consuming.
* The road links to ports are insufficient and badly maintained.
* Lack of coordination between ports and the custom authorities delays quicker dispensation of documentation and goods.
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