Topic- Coastal Shipping.

 Introduction

Transportation of products and people via lakes, rivers, canals, and coastal channels is referred to as shipping. Coastal shipping is only allowed within a nation. This kind of cabotage involves using small boats to move cargo from one location along a nation’s coast to another. This type of shipping is not the same as deep-sea or international shipping, which entails transporting people and goods across borders and across seas.

Potential of Coastal Shipping–

Geographical Advantage: Throughout its extensive network of navigable rivers and 7500 km of coastline, India is home to more than 200 minor and 12 major ports.

Short-Distance Travel: Coastal shipping routes usually follow a nation’s coastline for relatively short distances. This makes it an economical and effective way to move people and commodities between adjacent ports.

Decongestion of Road and Rail Networks: It can lessen traffic on India’s already congested rail and road systems.

Environmental Benefits: It can support India’s attempts to develop sustainable and environmentally friendly logistics solutions and assist lower carbon emissions.

Connectivity to Remote Areas: India boasts a vast coastline, and coastal shipping can help connect isolated and underdeveloped communities, fostering economic growth in these areas.

Promotion of Port Infrastructure: The expansion of port infrastructure is directly related to the development of coastal shipping. Coastal shipping can be used more frequently, which can encourage investments in port infrastructure and increase capacity and efficiency at Indian ports.

Coastal Shipping: Cargo Transport
The amount of coastal cargo handled by Indian ports in 2014–15 was around 74.97 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). By 2022–2023 that number had climbed by 104% to 151 MTPA.
In 2022–2023 National Waterways handled 126.15 MMT of freight, up 170% from 6.83 MMT in 2013–14.
Commodity-Wise Share: Cement/Clinker (1.5%), Iron Ore (11%), Iron Pellets (7.6%), Thermal Coal (30.6%), Port of Loading (POL) Products (32.3%), and Others (17.1%).

Conclusion

In India, water transportation costs about 50 paise (0.63¢ US) per kilometre ,while railway transportation costs ₹1 (1.3¢ US) and road transportation costs ₹1.5 (1.9¢ US). Water transport has drawn a lot of attention lately, since India has some of the highest logistical expenses among large nations : 18% in India, compared to 8–10% in China and 10–12% in the EU. The National Waterways Act, 2016 was passed, proposing 106 new National Waterways, in an effort to raise the proportion of waterways in inland transportation. This may significantly cut transportation costs and the country’s carbon impact by shifting traffic from surface highways and rails to waterways. The first Ro-Ro ferry was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Article by-

Akash Ingle

Assistant Professor.

Electrical department.

Kalinga University Raipur