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India's major ports have significantly reduced ship turnaround time, achieving a 48.65% decline from 93.59 hours in 2013-14 to 48.06 hours in 2023-24, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. This improvement highlights enhanced efficiency in handling ships and cargo, contributing to faster clearance processes and lower logistics costs. Sonowal attributed this achievement to several government initiatives, including constructing new berths and terminals, modernising existing facilities, streamlining operations through digitalisation, and improving hinterland connectivity via rail and road. Notable reductions in average turnaround times were reported at major ports: Jawaharlal Nehru Port (26 hours), Chennai (44.92 hours), Deendayal Port, Kandla (54.24 hours), Paradip (41.61 hours), Cochin (33.4 hours), New Mangalore (40.44 hours), Visakhapatnam (65.86 hours), Mumbai (62.97 hours), Kamarajar Port, Tamil Nadu (44.37 hours), and Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata (60.85 hours). Sonowal also emphasised the continuous development and capacity augmentation of major ports, which includes constructing new berths and terminals, mechanising existing facilities, deepening drafts through capital dredging to accommodate larger vessels, and enhancing connectivity. The minister credited the ambitious Sagarmala programme, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for modernising India's ports and improving their efficiency. He hailed it as a key driver behind this achievement, which aligns with the government's focus on operational efficiency and technological advancement. Reflecting this progress, nine Indian ports were ranked among the Global Top 100 in the latest Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) 2023, a report by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence. “This accomplishment underscores the Narendra Modi Government's commitment to modernising and mechanising ports, improving their performance, and enhancing service delivery for efficient ship and cargo handling,� Sonowal stated. (ET)