New Delhi, Nov 10 (KNN) The task force constituted by the Ministry of Shipping to study the present state of IT adoption levels at ports and suggest measures to modernize the entire system has submitted its report.

The report titled “Next Generation Port Infrastructure - Technology Transformation for Integrated Port Operations” contains recommendations of a task force constituted by the Ministry to prepare a robust Information Technology (IT) transformation document for them, clearly defining a long-term strategic roadmap and implementation plans.

The Minister of Shipping and Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari, while releasing the report, has called upon port authorities to catch up with the new trends in port strategies that are emerging around the world.

He said that, in order to compete with the global trading systems, our port authorities need to take on more and more active roles in the governance of logistics systems and also adopt managerial and entrepreneurial behaviours.

The report notes that there are many developed countries in today’s world whose applications of ITS technologies for solving transportation problems have reached a fairly advanced level.

“In India the development of such ITS solutions is at a fairly nascent stage. In India, the development and implementation of IT technologies are happening in an ad-hoc manner at the moment, resulting in different standards and stages of implementation,” added the report.

The overall outcome of such implementation, therefore, is not substantially productive, it said.

The task force has studied the as-is situation with regard to ITS technologies being used in the port sector in India and highlights the ongoing issues in this sector.  The task force has also focussed on ITS technologies that are developed and implemented by the ports in Singapore and Rotterdam- two of the leading ports that have used technology as an enabler for port operations.

The task force also recommended creation of an ITS department, development of ITS architecture, standards and protocols that will help in structuring investments in transportation and delivering safe and effective transportation.

It suggested having Smart Ports, which would help usher in optimization of space, personnel and traffic and also have Single Window System, which would help in reducing transaction costs and logistics costs involved in the movement of cargo.

There should be technology implementation at the gates for processing that will help reduce the delay in receiving and dropping of cargo, suggested the task force adding to set up an innovation / R&D fund to help drive innovation and an ecosystem for the maritime sector in India.

The task force also recommended standardization of messages, protocols, standards and processes which will help in operational efficiency and increase productivity parameters of ports operations.