Major and Minor Ports
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Major and Minor Ports
Subject: Geography
Context: Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) is weighing the acquisition of Karaikal and Gopalpur ports
About APSEZ:
- Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited is India’s largest private multi-port operator.
- APSEZ represents a large network of ports with India’s largest SEZ at Mundra.
Major Ports in India:
- India has 12 major seaports and 200 notified minor and intermediate ports that handle a huge volume of traffic.
- About 95 per cent by volume and 70 per cent by value of India’s total international trade are carried on through maritime transportation.
- All major ports, except one Ennore Port are government administered. It is the first port in India which is a public company.
- The Government of India plans to modernise these ports and has approved a project called Sagarmala.
- India is a signatory to Hong Kong International Convention for the safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships.
- Largest Port in Arabian Sea –NhavaSheva Port (Maharashtra)
- Largest Port in Bay of Bengal- Chennai Port (Tamil Nadu)
- Tamil Nadu has the maximum number of major sea ports in India.
- Port Blair was notified as a major port in 2010 but was removed of its status recently.
- Major Ports of India include:
Minor Ports:
- As per the Indian Constitution the maritime transport comes under the concurrent list.
- The ports are thus either under the management of the Central government or the State government
- The Central Shipping Ministry controls and supervises the major ports, whereas the minor ports and intermediate are managed by the state government’s maritime board.
- The increase in private sector participation has resulted in an increase in the number of minor ports.
- Cargo traffic handled by the minor ports has exceeded cargo traffic at major ports.
- Some of the important minor ports are:
- Azhikkal Port (Mouth of Valapattanam River Kerala)
- Kannur (Kerala)
- Kundapur (Udupi District Karnataka)
- Dahej (Gujarat)
- Jafrabad (Gulf of Cambay Gujarat)
- Kasargod (Kerala)
- Karaikal (Puducherry)
- Gopalpur (Odisha)