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Amid uncertainty over energy supplies due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, the Ministry of Shipping on Wednesday said no congestion has been reported at any port across India, assuring that maritime operations and cargo movement remain smooth and under close monitoring.
Speaking during an inter-ministerial briefing in the national capital, Additional Secretary Rajesh Kumar Sinha said the Visakhapatnam Port Authority has created approximately 2,250 square metres of additional storage space to handle any potential surge in cargo. He cited Mundra Port as an example, where, against a total container handling capacity of around four lakh TEUs, current occupancy stands at approximately 25 per cent. "I had mentioned two points earlier. Additionally, today I would like to inform you about the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, where approximately 2,250 square meters of additional storage space has been created and made available. No congestion of any kind has been reported at any port. For example, at Mundra Port, the total container handling capacity is around 400,000 TEUs, and the current occupancy is approximately 25%," the Additional Secretary said. Sinha further said 611 individuals aboard 22 Indian-flagged vessels operating in and around the Strait of Hormuz, including those positioned west of the key shipping route, are safe. He added that 25 Indian nationals have been repatriated in the past few hours. A 24x7 control room remains operational to assist seafarers and their families, and over the last 24 hours, around 125 telephone calls and 450 emails have been received and responded to. "All Indian ships and Indian nationals, including the 611 individuals currently located west of the Strait of Hormuz onboard 22 Indian-flagged vessels, are safe, with no incidents reported. In the past 24 hours, 25 Indian nationals have been repatriated after sign-off procedures from various ports and locations in the region. A control room has been operational 24 hours a day. Over the last 24 hours, approximately 125 telephone calls and 450 emails have been received, all of which have been responded to," Sinha said. (ANI)
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