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V. Sajeev Kumar

Kochi , Dec. 1

THE declining trend of Indian ships in the country's overseas trade has relegated India's position in the world maritime trade.

The share of Indian ships in the overseas trade is at a meagre 15.14 per cent during 2002-03, while foreign ships carried 84.6 per cent of India's overseas trade, Mr K.V.A. Iyer, Vice-President, Water Transport Workers Federation of India, said quoting Shipping Ministry's report for 2003-04.

In the case of high-value high-freight general cargo, the position is far more depressing. He pointed out that Indian ships share was a paltry 5.65 per cent during the year 2002-03. There is practically no serviceable shipping tonnage in container trade carrying Indian flag, he added.

According to Mr Iyer, India has rightful share to 40 per cent of the general cargoes in liner and container ships as per the UN Liner Code. The code also stipulates 50 per cent of bulk cargo where both the trading partners are maritime nations, and 100 per cent in Government-controlled trade, where the other party has no shipping of its own.

He said that neither self-reliance nor even the rightful share has been secured to the country's flag carriers through the shipping policy.

The perspective of country's ship building activity and new acquisitions, as stated by the Ministry in the report for 2003-04, gives no hope for achieving even a slight improvement.

Indications are that the structure of industry and consequently the structure of imports are changing both in developed and developing countries. The high-income OECD (Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development) countries are shedding energy intensive manufactures such as metallurgy and garments; and these industries are growing at faster pace in developing countries. This re-development is causing changes in the structure of exports of both the developing and developed countries, he said.

Referring to Indian ports, Mr Iyer said that operators having interests in foreign-owned container shipping lines started operating major container terminals in JNPT, Mundra, Adani, Chennai and at Pipavav. A third terminal at JNPT of another foreign container line is scheduled to be commissioned in 2006. Except a public-owned container terminal at JNPT, he said that the remaining major container terminal have been operated by companies having shipping interests and they use this strategic position to good advantage.

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