Center Notifies Galathea Bay As a Major Port

Galathea Bay in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a 'Major Port.' This notification brings the Rs 44,000 crore mega port project under the administrative control of the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.

KEY FACTS:

1. The project will be developed with central funding and through a public-private partnership (PPP)
2. A bay is a body of water partially surrounded by land. It is generally smaller and less enclosed than a gulf. The mouth of a bay, where it connects with the ocean or lake, is typically wider than that of a gulf.

ABOUT GALATHEA BAY

• Development:
  • International Container Transshipment Port (ICTP): The port is being developed to handle international container transshipment.
  • Funding and Model: Eligible for central funding and will be developed under the PPP model.
• Location:
  • Great Nicobar Island: Situated in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India.
• Phases of Development:
  • Phase 1: Expected to be commissioned by 2028 with a handling capacity of approximately 4 Million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units).
  • Ultimate Capacity: Projected to increase to 16 Million TEUs by 2058.
• Significance:
  • Transshipment Hub: Once operational, Galathea Bay aims to capture a substantial share of transshipped cargo currently handled at ports outside India.
  • Strategic Location: Located 40 nautical miles from major international shipping trade routes.
  • Natural Depth: The site has a natural water depth of over 20 meters, suitable for handling large volumes of transshipment cargo.

PORT INFRASTRUCTURE IN INDIA

• Current Ports in India:
  • Major Ports: India has 12 operational Major Ports controlled by the central government.
  • Non-Major Ports: Around 200 non-major ports are governed by states, with about 65 handling cargo. The rest are used for fishing or passenger ferries.
• Additional Developments:
  • Mega Ports: Plans to upgrade Vadhavan-Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) Cluster, Paradip Port, and Deendayal Port into Mega Ports with capacities exceeding 300 million tonnes per annum (MTPA).
  • Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047: Envisions developing 4 port clusters with capacities greater than 300 MTPA and 2 with capacities exceeding 500 MTPA.
• Legislation:
  • Major Port Authorities Act, 2021: Regulates the operation and planning of Major Ports in India, assigning administration and management to the Boards of Major Port Authorities.

MAJOR PORTS IN INDIA

• India has 12 major ports and 200 non-major ports, with the major ports under the control of the Ministry of Shipping and the non-major ports under the jurisdiction of state governments.
• Paradip Port in Odisha has become India's largest port by cargo volume, breaking Deendayal Port's record.
• The port achieved record coastal shipping and thermal coal shipping due to operational improvements.
• It has the highest berth productivity among all Indian ports and exceeded Rs 2,300 crore in operating revenue.

ISN'T PORT BLAIR A MAJOR PORT?

• As of March 15, 2024, Port Blair is no longer a major port in India.
• The Indian government declared Port Blair a major port on June 1, 2010, making it the 13th major port in India.
• However, in 2017, the government considered removing Port Blair's major port status due to a lack of container traffic.
• Port Blair is located on the Andaman Sea and has territorial jurisdiction over 23 other ports in Andaman and Nicobar. The port is operated by the Port Blair Port Trust.