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India needs to embrace new technology and can save up to Rs 20,000 crore by using AI for cargo handling at ports, said Member of Economic Advisory Council to PM Gourav Vallabh on Tuesday. Speaking at session 'AI-Powered Ports: Reimagining Efficiency and Operations' at the AI Impact Summit here, Vallabh said India is emerging as a global leader in the field of new technology. "There is an approximate saving by uses of AI of Rs 20,000 crore in our handling.. And every year we can save Rs 15,000 crore as far as the logistic cost is concerned," he said. The question is not whether AI will transform India's ports, Vallabh said adding "the question is whether we are going to lead it or not." He noted that India's logistics cost at 7.97 per cent of GDP is competitive, "but for Viksit Bharat 2047 aim, our ports should be intelligent and should have intelligent ecosystem." He said India needs accelerated policy initiatives to reduce the logistics cost. He pointed out that 95 per cent of
Adani Group's Mundra Port in Gujarat has recorded a sharp increase in automobile exports and liquid cargo volumes in January 2026, posting multiple operational records that highlighted the growing role of large, integrated ports in supporting India's trade and export flows. The port handled its highest-ever monthly automobile export volume, shipping 25,762 vehicles through its dedicated roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) terminal at Adani Mundra Container Terminal (CT2), officials said. The figure surpassed the previous monthly record set in May 2024, reflecting continued overseas demand for India-manufactured vehicles. Automakers, including Maruti Suzuki and Toyota, increasingly routed exports through Mundra during the month, with shipments destined for markets across Africa, Europe, East Asia, Australia, and the Middle East, according to port officials. Mundra also set a new single-vessel loading record in January, loading 5,701 vehicles onto a single ship, the highest number handled in one
The government will constitute the Bureau of Port Security, a statutory body for the security of vessels and port facilities, which will ensure timely analysis, collection and exchange of security-related information, with a special focus on cybersecurity, officials said on Friday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened a meeting for the constitution of a dedicated body for ports and vessel security on Friday, which was attended by the Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and the Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, an official statement said. Modelled on the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), the Bureau of Port Security (BoPS) will be headed by a director general and will function under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, it said. The BoPS will be responsible for regulatory and oversight functions relating to the security of ships and port facilities, the statement said. The BoPS shall be headed by an IPS officer (Pay Level-15). .
Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will inaugurate the second Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) ports conclave in Visakhapatnam on July 14. The two-day event, to be held until July 15, aims to enhance regional maritime cooperation under the BIMSTEC framework, said an official press release. "BIMSTEC enhances regional unity through maritime cooperation and trade connectivity, said T Venu Gopal, secretary, Visakhapatnam Port Authority. During his visit, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways is also expected to inaugurate completed development projects and lay foundation stones for upcoming port infrastructure. Themed Navigating the Future: Blue Economy, Innovation & Sustainable Partnerships', the conclave will bring together ministerial delegations, port authorities, maritime experts, and business leaders from BIMSTEC member countries. Delegates from Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Thailand have
Major ports have achieved a draft of 14 metres, while ports like Kamarajar, Paradip and Deendayal are progressing towards 18-metre draft to accommodate large shipping vessels due to policy initiative taken by the government to make India a regional transshipment powerhouse, Shipping Secretary T K Ramachandran said on Sunday. Transshipment has historically remained a missed opportunity for Indian ports, with 75 per cent of India's transshipment cargo routed through foreign hubs like Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang. "Major Ports have achieved a draft of 14 metres, while ports like Kamarajar, Paradip and Deendayal are progressing toward 18-metre draft to accommodate Panamax and cape-size vessels. "The upcoming Vadhavan Port in Maharashtra is being developed as a world -class mega port with a natural draft of 20 metres and a planned container handling capacity of 23 million TEUs, placing it among the top 10 global container ports upon completion," Ramachandran told PTI. A draft refe