MUMBAI PORT

Mumbai Port has carved an unique niche for itself in the Indian commercial geography. The port has completed more than 125 years of dedicated service to the nation. For decades, Mumbai Port remained India’s premier port. Even today, with the development of other ports in the neighbourhood, it caters to about 12.3% of the total sea borne trade of the country in terms of volume. It is the leading general cargo port handling about 18% of the country’s general cargo traffic, the leading container port accounting for about 30% of the country’s trade in the containerised cargo and the leading POL port handling about 16% of country’s POL trade.

The Port of Mumbai has long been the principal gateway of India. Strategic location is one factor in its special favour. It lies midway along the West Coast of India and is gifted with a natural deep-water harbour of 400 sq. Kms. protected by mainland of Konkan on its east and island of Mumbai on its west. The deep waters in the harbour provide secure and ample shelter for shipping throughout the year. This gift of nature has been developed by the enterprise of men with vision and purpose, with the result that in the matter of natural facilities for shipping, Mumbai Port is one of the most fortunate

Location

Mumbai Port is situated at a Latitude of 18o54’ North and Longitude 72o49’ East on the West Coast of India.

Container Terminal

A full-fledged container terminal has been set up at BPS in Indira Dock which is equipped with two Gantry cranes for ship to shore handling of containers and three Rubber Tyred Gantry cranes for yard operations. 516 ground slots are available for temporary stacking of containers prior to their shipment or removal to CFS. Berth nos. 1 to 5 in Indira Dock have been earmarked for handling container vessels and stackyard with over 1600 slots in the back-up space behind these berths have been developed for temporary stacking of containers.

Container Freight Stations have been set up at Manganese Ore Depot, Timber Pond, Wadala Incinerator Plot and Frere Basin. 208 reefer points at selected berths/CFS have been provided for refrigerated cargo. Rail Container Depot has been developed at Cotton Depot to facilitate smooth movement of ICD traffic.

Ferry Wharf

The Ferry Wharf, near Prince’s Dock, comprises 4 berths for handling ferry ships carrying coastal passengers. It can also accommodate launches plying across the harbour.

Cargo Handling Equipments

The docks are equipped with electric wharfside cranes, container handling cranes, floating cranes and mobile cargo handling equipments:

Port Trust Railway

The Port owns and operates its own Railway which is connected to the broad gauge main lines of Central and Western Railways at its Interchange Railway Yard at Wadala.

The railway runs for about 11 kms. of straight route between Ballard Pier and Wadala and has an extensive network of track of about 130 kms. It serves the docks as well as the vital installations and factories in the Port Estates. It has its own fleet of 11 diesel locomotives.

Dry Dock

There are two dry docks namely Merewether Dry Dock of 152.40 metres and Hughes Dry Dock of 304.04 metres in length respectively.

Storage Accommodation

Mumbai Port has approx. 7 lakh square metres of open and covered storage accommodation for storing uncleared, confiscated goods and hazardous cargo. Pre-shipment storage facilities are also available for export cargo at the port.

Fish Harbour

Fish handling facilities are provided at Sassoon Dock and near Malet Basin.

Privatisation

The liberalised economic policy of Government of India envisages increased privatisation in port sector. However, a significant level of private participation already exists at Mumbai Port.

Some of the areas where the outside agencies have been involved in port activities include:

To further encourage privatisation, Mumbai Port has offered/identified following projects for privatisation:

1. Construction of a berth at Pir Pau for handling inter alia coal on B.O.T. basis   The port has with prior approval of Govt., accepted the commercial offer of M/s. Tata Electric Co. for construction of a berth on B.O.T. basis for handling coal/less inflammable liquid cargoes at Pir Pau. The project is at agreement stage. Government’s approval to the modifications made in the agreement is awaited.

2. Construction of a second liquid chemical/POL products berth off New Pir Pau Pier on B.O.T. basis   Draft Final Detailed Project Report from the consultant is expected shortly.

3. Development of two Container Terminals and two General cargo terminals in Indira Dock   The port has invited tenders for Development, Operation Management and Maintenance of two container terminals and two General cargo terminals in Indira Dock, on B.O.T. basis, which were opened on 30th June 1999 and 1st July 1999 respectively and are under scrutiny.

4. Licensing of Dry Docks - The MbPT Board has recently approved, in principle, licensing of Dry Docks with other facilities at the port.

Future Plans

Mumbai Port Trust has formulated an ambitious 9th Five Year Plan with an approved outlay of Rs. 980 crores. The plan mainly aims at modernisation of existing facilities, replacement of obsolete/outdated equipments by higher capacity equipments and upgradation of POL and liquid chemical handling capacity of the port.

The Annual Plan (1999-2000) with an approved outlay of Rs. 223.10 crores includes the following important projects:

• Replacement of submarine pipelines.
  
• Modernisation of jetties 1,2 & 3 at Jawahar Dweep.
  
• Replacement of Wharf Cranes in Indira Dock.
  
• Replacement of two harbour tugs by 45 plus T Bollard Pull.
  
• Revamping of Railway System.
  
• Replacement of Inner Lock Gate, Indira Dock.
  
• Concreting/asphalting of storage areas.
  
• Procurement of C.T.Scanner.
• Replacement of Floating Crane ‘Shravan’.

Replacement of the on-shore pipelines from Pir Pau Manifold to Sewree/Wadala marketing/storage installation

Traffic Handled