Maritime Insights

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The six-episode saga

Maritime Insights was the first ever comprehensive television series on the maritime sector brought out by Gateway Media, in association with CNBC TV18. The initiative testified our resolve to provide a holistic view of the industry, bring issues to the fore, and gain a perspective and the way ahead for ports, shipping and logistics sector. Each episode catered to a theme covering the three major verticals in the industry, explored issues and sought a pragmatic approach to problems by talking to experts, analysts and policy makers. Aired as a half-hour special every weekend from August 30 to October 5, the insightful broadcast was endorsed as an endeavor well made.

Episode 1: Sector Overview: Ports, shipping and logistics being the three main segments of maritime industry, the episode discusses the challenges and opportunities in the sector and the government’s role in building infrastructure in the wake of booming economy and exim trade growth. Talks about the growing importance of ports – the trade landmarks that are trying to get bigger and better. Rajeeva Sinha, wholetime director of Mundra Port & SEZ expresses the need for more competition to reduce monopoly in the port sector; S Hajara, CMD, SCI airs his views on special taxation regime for Indian shipping to grow; Shashikiran Shetty of Allcargo calls for a change in government mindset and Anil Devli, ED, Shreyas Shipping and Logistics touches on the evacuation problem in ports.

Episode 2: Port Sector Scan: Ports are today one of the busiest locations for exim trade. Industrial giants, including global investors, are entering the sector to cash in on the huge business potential. The episode focusses on infrastructure hurdles in the 12 major ports and the growing competition from Greenfield ports. While SS Hussain, chairman of JNPT hints at growing traffic and therefore congestion, DP Singh, chairman, Gopalpur Port dwells on government’s inability to run ports. Rajeeva Sinha talks of Mundra’s USP as a worldclass port, A K Chanda, chairman of Kolkata Port talks of the problems inherent in privatisation; K Suresh, chairman of Chennai Port Trust prides in the auto hub; S Velumani, CMD, Ennore Port explains the unique landlord port model and Ganesh Raj, senior VP and MD, DP World Subcontinent feels the need for building capacities at a faster pace in ports.

Episode 3: Shipping: Though the sector handles 71 per cent of India’s cargo, it still needs the much needed boost. The episode throws light on trade prospects, challenges, policy framework, fleet quality, tax regime and the lack of a proper roadmap. Shashank Kulkarni, secretary general, INSA feels the need of loan availability to shipping firms; Yudhishtir Khatau, MD, Varun Shipping elaborates on the benefits accrued from tonnage tax; Hajara calls for a level-playing field; Hans Ole-Madsen, MD, Maersk Line hints at ships registering under foreign flags to avoid huge taxes. Shipping secretary APVN Sarma declares that the Shipping Trade Practices bill pending in the ministry will move forward soon.

Episode 4: Logistics: Since the management of the flow of goods to and from ports and the hinterland is a growing enterprise, the episode dwells on the pressing needs: connectivity issues, multimodal framework: high transaction, rail/road connectivity projects, dedicated freight corridor and inland waterways. Sudhir Rangnekar, group CEO, Sical Logistics, talks of the high cost of processing exim documents, Anil Devli on how partnerships work for planned movement of cargo, Shashikant Shetty calls for a centralised decision-making agency. Rakesh Mehrotra, MD, Concor, stresses on infrastructure and former advisor Ajay Dua on the Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor. M Prem Kumar, group MD & CEO, Uniworld Logistics feels the urgency of logistics education in India.

Episode 5: Integrated Port Development: As major ports need to respond to users’ needs, sharing space with private players and getting every chain in maritime trade to link up seems to be the viable solution. The episode explores port-based SEZs, port facilities, industrial zones, and logistics facilities in close proximity of ports and integrated shipyards. Capt. Sriram Ravi Chander, COO, Visakha Container Terminal hails the promotion of container industry through public-private synergy, Rajeeva Sinha of Mundra stresses the need for synergistic combination of ports and SEZs, Prem Kumar of Uniworld and Pramod Kumar Srivastava, director, Allied ICD Services explain the benefits of inland container depots, Arup Chatterjee, joint MD, LCL Logistix speaks of tremendous response to their container freight station at Pipavav and M V Kotwal, senior executive VP, L&T throws light on the new shipbuilding cluster model.

Episode 6: CEO Forum: The ground event includes a panel discussion, launch of Maritime Gateway and the presentation of the Annual Indian Maritime Gateway Awards 2008. Industry experts deliberate on the theme ‘Building India into a World-Class Maritime Nation’ in the presence of an august audience. The power-packed panel includes Shipping Secretary APVN Sarma, JNPT chairman SS Hussain, DP World Subcontinent VP Ganesh Raj, Sical Logistics group CEO Sudhir Rangnekar, Varun Shipping MD Yudhishtir Khatau and Gateway Terminals COO Pakash Tulsiani. The panel feels the urgent need of improving infrastructure and building capacities at ports to stand the test of efficiency and global competition.

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