Ministry asks ports to improve marketing

The Union ministry of Shipping has urged ports to improve marketing of their services.

DT Joseph, Union shipping secretary, said, "The ports must go out and get business. Money will not come from social activities. Therefore ports must focus more on marketing their facilities."

Commending the performance of Ennore Port Limited (EPL), India's first corporate port, Joseph said, "When the management of the port (EPL) is heading in the right direction, there is no role for the ministry."

He said the performance of Ennore Port was better when compared to other other ports which were run as trusts.

He expressed concern over the fact that Chennai Port Trust takes 30 -35 days to despatch iron ore vessels to China. He said that EPL will be taken as a model when the government decides to corporatise other ports in the country.

Earlier, Shipping Minister Shatrughan Sinha, inaugurated the Rs 4.5 crore new administrative building and other facilities at EPL. Speaking on the occasion Sinha said, "The intention of the policy of corporatisation is to reduce operational restrictions and administrative control to facilitate unbridled growth of the ports."

He added that EPL would be a model for successful public private partnership in the development of core infrastructure like ports.