GMB scouts new locations to set up greenfield ports, shipyards.

Gujarat, which already accounts for 74 per cent of the traffic by all non-major ports in the country and the longest coastline amongst maritime states in India (1,600 km), is now scouting for newer locations for setting up green-field ports and shipyards.

The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), an autonomous State Board, which administers and regulates the 41 state-owned non-major ports of Gujarat, has already identified stretches along the coastline where new ports and shipyards can come up, and is now in talks with consultants who would work on analysing the feasibility and also prepare detailed project reports for the same.

According to a GMB spokesperson, the stretches identified for developing greenfield ports include Bhavnagar to Ghoga, Jamnagar and Bharuch areas, while those identified for developing shipyards include Jakhau-Mandvi, Dwarka-Porbandar, Porbandar-Mangrol, Mangrol-Veraval and Mahuva.

Senior officials at the GMB also informed that two consultants have been identified, and discussions are on with them. However, the work is yet to be awarded. 'We have identified two consultants, I-Maritime and AECOM, and discussions are on with them; nothing has been awarded yet. One of the consultants to be appointed would work on the Gulf of Khambat side and South Gujarat, while the other would work in the Saurashtra region and Kutch,' said the senior official.

BS