India is becoming a favorite hunting ground for port and exim trade operators from recession-ridden and cargo-starved western countries. Recent months have seen many foreign ports and their trade delegations doing the rounds of exim centers of the country looking for possible avenues for trading opportunities. While most of them were in search of cargo to attract to their ports, at least some of them were looking for collaborations with ports, both private and centrally owned.
Even though ports like Antwerp, Le Harve, Amsterdam, Halifax have their own set ups to hard sell their facilities to the local trading community, an Indian tour has become an annual exercise for most of them. According to trade circles, other ports, especially from America, are working towards having their representations in India.
A representative from the Port of Amsterdam is understood to be camping in Mumbai doing the ground work for such a set up. October saw officials from French Port of Le Havre appraising the exim community in Mumbai of their facilities and the unique advantages of using them.
The chairman of the Port Authority of Antwerp visited India from November 9 to 14 along with a delegation of port officials and terminal operators and logistics companies from the port. They visited Chennai, Mumbai, Mundra, Ahmedabad and New Delhi. Their visit was primarily 'to meet old customers and friends, to make new friends and attract customers to the port'
"They visited major manufacturing centres in India to present the port's facilities, to talk to new customers and develop ideas for future growth," said Raj Khalid, who represents the port in this region. In Chennai, the 10-member delegation met the chairman and other officers of Chennai Port and discussed possible technical collaboration using expertise of the Port of Antwerp's training centre. The visiting port authority is understood to have expressed their willingness to assist the city port to handle its coal cargo safely.
The delegation also had dialogues with many corporates, including the Essar group, in Mumbai, inviting them to use the port facilities which are some of the best and largest ones in Europoe for liquid and bulk cargo.
For example, a representative of Sea Invest, which handles about 105 million tonnes of cargo at its terminals in Antwerp, said he is looking for major trading partners in India for tie-up. Based on his interactions with some of the leading exporters, he said, he is confident of sealing some deals within the next couple of months.
"The three-year old technical cooperation between Port of Antwerp and Mundra Port is bearing fruits," said Mr Khalid. "The increase in trade flow between Antwerp and Mundra is a testimony to what Mundra as a multi port has gained from its association with our port. Ours is a no-cash deal to guide the Mundra Port in its ambitious programme to develop as a truly world-class port catering to all types of cargoes," he said.
Mundra's technical collaboraion programme with Antwerp Port will expand in 2010. "The unique and logistical capabilities of the foreign port facilities are not well known or not widely published in India. The trade in India in general is not abreast with the excellent facilities which could offer unique cost advantages to it," said Capt RR Iyer, GM, Seahorse group, which represents Port of Le Harve in India.
"With the various international ports coming into India and creating more and more awareness about the advantages, Indian shippers are in a much better position to take valued judgements on the best logistical routes to undertake for their benefit," he added.
Source : The Economic Times