Sagarmala Development Company (SDCL) has inked pacts for maritime projects worth Rs 11,870 crore with various public as well as private sector players.
The projects pertain to development of product-specific warehouses, operationalisation of specialised vessels such as roll-on roll-off (Ro-Ro) and coastal shipping vessels, among others.
The pacts were signed on the eve of Maritime India Summit 2021, scheduled to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 2 March 2021.
SDCL has signed 48 memoranda of understanding (MoUs) which entail an investment of Rs 11,870 crore. The projects have a potential to generate direct employment for 1.68 lakh persons and indirect employment for 7.73 lakh persons.
Twenty-four companies have signed the MoU for development of product-specific warehouses at various ports and alongside Inland Waterways which entails an investment of Rs 7,544 crore with a direct employment potential of 1.60 lakh persons and indirect employment potential of 2.63 lakh persons.
The companies which have signed the MoUs include the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC), Balmer Lawrie & Co, Hind Terminals, NDR Infrastructure, Vopak India and JM Baxi, among others.
Besides, 21 companies have signed the MoU to explore and operationalise the initiative for operationalisation of specialised vessels on various identified routes.
This will entail an investment of Rs 3,777 crore with a direct employment potential of 7,638 persons and indirect employment potential of 5.09 lakh persons.
The companies which have signed the MoUs in this direction include Indigo Seaways, Pushpak Logistics Solutions, Adani Logistics, JM Baxi, Shreyas Shipping & Logistic, Esquire Shipping and Trading, etc.
The purpose is to create supplementary mode of transportation which will not only be beneficial for daily commuters, tourist movement and cargo transportation, but also help in reducing carbon footprint by shifting to environment-friendly mode of transportation from rail and road.
In addition, three more MoUs were signed including pacts with the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Trust to explore the initiative for development of Extended Port Gate System at Balagarh with a likely investment of Rs 350 crore, the Indian Port Rail & Ropeway Corporation for working together for identifying and participating in the rail connectivity projects in coastal areas.
Transworld Logistic also signed MoU for exploring development of the container manufacturing and maintenance/repair unit at Kandla with a likely investment of Rs 200 crore.
The second edition of the Maritime India Summit - 2021 is being organised by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSWs) jointly with FICCI as Industrial Partner and EY as Knowledge Partner from March 2 to 4 2021, through virtual mode.
SDCL was incorporated by MoPSWs to assist in implementation of the ambitious Sagarmala Programme that aims development through port-led projects.