Shipping plays an important role in the transport sector of India's economy. Approximately, 95 per cent of the country's trade by volume (70 per cent in terms of value) in moved by sea. India has the largest merchant shipping fleet among the developing countries and ranks 17th amongst the countries with the largest cargo carrying fleet with 7.07 million G T and the average of the fleet being 17 years. Indian maritime sector facilitates not only transportation of national and international cargo but also provides a variety of other services such as cargo handling services, shipbuilding and ship repairing, freight forwarding, light house facilities and training of marine personnel, etc. As on 31 December 2005 the Indian fleet (ships of 150GT and above) comprised 707 ships with 8.29 million GT and 13.72 million DWT.
The salient features of India's shipping policy are the promotion of national shipping to increase self-reliance in the carriage of the country's overseas trade and protection of stakeholders' interest in EXIM trade. India's national flag-ships provide an essential means of transport for crude oil and petroleum product imports. National shipping makes significant contribution to the foreign exchange earnings of the country.
Indian Fleet : India's shipping fleet as on 31 December 2005, comprised 237 overseas vessels with 74,81,790 GRT and 470 coastal vessels with 8,04,612 GRT. There has been a net increase of over 1.06 million GT in the tonnage during the year 2004-05.
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Indian shipping tonnage, which was only 1.92 lakh GT on the eve of independence, now stands at 8.29 million GT. The tonnage position as on 31 December 2005 was 707 ships with 82,86,402 GRT. Due to various facilitative measures adopted by the Government, especially the tonnage tax scheme, there has been an increase of 15.39 per cent in the total GT between the year 2003- 04 and 2004-05.
The total quantity of cargo handled at various Indian ports during the year 2003-04 increase to 344.55 million tonnes from 313.53 million tones in 2002-03. In the overseas trade, though the total volume has shown an increase from 273.04 million tonnes in 2001-02 to 280.34MT in 2002-03, the share of cargo carried by Indian flag vessels during the period declined from 17 to 15.1 per cent. It has been pointed out by the Working Group of the Planning Commission on Shipping for the 10th Plan that the present fleet strength is not adequate to support the trade flow in the shipping sector. Therefore, there is an imperative need for augmenting the tonnage capacity to cater to the projected traffic estimated to be 537 MT for 2005-2006 and 1273 MT by 2020.
Coastal Shipping : Coastal shipping is an energy efficient, environmental friendly and economical mode of transport in the Indian transport network and a crucial component for the development of domestic industry and trade. India, with her 7,516.6 km long coastline studded with 13 major ports and 184 non-major ports providing congenial and favourable conditions for the development of this alternate mode of transport.
India's Coastal Shipping Tonnage as on 31 December 2005 was 470 vessels with 804612 GRT. Action plan for the development of coastal shipping is already on the anvil with the Central Government. With a view to promote coastal shipping and sailing vessel industry, the home trade vessels and sailing vessels have been exempted from the payment of lighthouse dues under the provisions of the Lighthouse Act, 1927. Meanwhile, a study has already been completed by the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to assess the potential of coastal shipping and the role of minor ports keeping in view the feasibility of routes and the supporting environment needed for its development. Efforts are being made to develop minor ports, which would, in turn, develop coastal shipping.
