(a) whether it is a fact that Indian Port operations are badly affected due to COVID-19 pandemic;
(b) if so, the details thereof and estimate of loss incurred therefrom; and
(c) the details of the action taken/proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?
(a) & (b)Yes, there was a considerable decline in the total traffic, containers traffic and other than containers traffic in March, April, May, June, July and August, 2020 as compared to the corresponding months in 2019. COVID 19 impact at Major Ports started from March 2020. The details of loss in terms of traffic (container and other than container) due to COVID 19 impact on ports are annexed. However, the recovery has started since June 20.
(c) Ministry of Shipping has issued necessary directions from time to time to all ports to put in place a screening, detection and quarantine system for disembarking Seafarer or cruise passengers, to obtain self-declaration from arriving crews/passengers, to install thermal scanners and procure Personal Protection Equipment(PPE) readiness, N-95 masks, create awareness among the travelers at Ports and Port officials. Further, Major ports under the administrative control of Ministry of Shipping have taken several steps like formation of SoP for disease surveillance/Vessel and crew/passenger management, thermal scanning while moving outside port prohibited area, isolation wards at port hospitals. Further, various advisories/circulars were issued to provide relief to the trade in terms of non-charging of demurrage and other penalties/charges. Various technological/digital inductions were expedited to maintain smooth functioning without human interference viz, E-invoice, E-payment, E-DO and E-BoL at PCS1x.
Annexure
Details of loss in terms of traffic(container and other than container) due to COVID 19 impact on ports
<pre>
Period Total Traffic during month
Containers Traffic Traffic Other than Container
(In 000 Tonnes) % Var. w.r.t. prev. year Tonnage
(000 Tonnes) % Var. w.r.t. prev. year TEUs
(In 000) % Var. w.r.t. prev. year (In 000 Tonnes) % Var. w.r.t. prev. year
January’20 61344 1.79 12913 3.84 860 2.14 48431 1.25
January’19 60268 12435 842 47833
February’20 57233 4.58 11791 1.24 802 1.01 45442 5.48
February’19 54729 11647 794 43082
March’20 61120 -5.25 12006 -10.46 790 -12.51 49114 -3.89
March’19 64510 13408 903 51102
April’20 47422 -21.08 8306 -33.79 542 -36.98 39116 -17.72
April’19 60086 12545 860 47541
May’20 45399 -23.25 8497 -34.08 563 -35.58 36902 -20.23
May’19 59151 12890 874 46261
June’20 49053 -14.64 9549 -22.19 640 -23.63 39504 -12.59
June’19 57466 12272 838 45194
July’20 51454 -13.23 11464 -13.02 751 -15.24 39990 -13.29
July’19 59300 13180 886 46120
August’20 51611 -10.23 11460 -8.79 762 -13.80 40151 -10.63
August’19 57494 12565 884 44929
</pre>
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