The main users of the seas in the Indian maritime zones are: Indian Shipping India has the seventeenth largest merchant shipping fleet in the world. The Indian Merchant Fleet on 31 December 2002 comprised 617 ships, aggregating 6.21 million GRT (Gross Register Tonnage). Of this fleet, 193 ships constituted the overseas fleet with a GRT of 5.40 million tonnes and the balance of 424 ships formed the coastal fleet with a GRT of 0.81 million tonnes. The composition of the Indian fleet in December 1999 differs only marginally from the composition in December 2002. The data has been taken from the Annual Review of Indian National Ship owners Association. As a significant move towards strengthening maritime security of India, the Government of India has stayed its declared objective for the development of the national fleet so as to achieve participation of Indian flag vessels in India's overseas trade. The country is equipped to carry at least 40 percent cargo in the liner trades, 59 percent in dry bulk trade and 100 percent of hydrocarbons shipments, as well as 100 percent of the coastal trade. However, the actual performance has continued to be below expectations over the last decade or so. While there has been over 100 percent increase in the volume of shipments of overseas cargoes, the proportion carried by Indian flag vessels has slumped progressively. This share presently continues to loom in the region of only seventeen percent during 2001-2002. For coastal trade, the share of Indian flag vessels during 2001-2002 was approximately 86 percent. International Shipping Lanes, especially the oil and sea borne trade traffic to and from the Persian Gulf to East Asia and South-East Asia passes through India's EEZ and transits through the offshore island territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshwadeep. International sea lanes of communication passing through India's EEZ, particularly through the Great Channel (6 degree channel) South of Great Nicobar Island and through the Lakshwadeep Islands are of strategic importance. This is so because India can influence these sea lanes, but at the same time the large number of vessels perplexes the problems of surveillance and identification, preventing them from contravening Indian laws. Hence, it is evident somewhat that maritime security of India is almost always given a sizeable nudge, in spite of international antagonisms. Major and Minor Ports There are twelve major ports in India, namely, Kandla, Mumbai, JNPT, Mormugao, Kochi, New Mangalore, Tuticorin, Ennore, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Calcutta/Haldia, which are governed by the Central Government. In addition, to rev up India's maritime security, there are 184 minor /intermediate ports, which function under the respective State Governments. In 2001-2002, the major and minor ports had handled 314.26 million tonnes of cargo. The JNPT port alone accounts for sixty percent of the container cargo of India, with approximately two million TEUs being handled per annum. Post liberalisation, most states, with Gujarat leading the list, have set up joint ventures with MNCs (multi national companies) for development and operation of minor/intermediate ports. The coming up of ports like Hazira, Dahej, Mundra and Pipav Bandar in Gujarat have increased handling capacity of specialised cargo manifold. However, they are posing some problem areas in the management of maritime zones. A parliamentary bill on major ports has pending in the parliament since 2003 in this regard. Offshore Oil Installations and Offshore Development Area (ODA) Offshore oil production in the Western Region which commenced as a small scale operation by ONGC (Oil and Natural Gad Corporation) limited to Bombay High in the mid 1970s is now a vigorously expanding area. The offshore infrastructure of ONGC over the years has developed to include over 25 process platforms and more than 125 well platforms. In addition, the ONGC has laid more than 3000 km of pipeline on the seabed for the flow of oil and gas from the process platforms to onshore terminals at Hazira and Uran. The existing offshore regions where production is currently taking place span a total area in excess of 17,000 sq. nm. In the West, it extends more than 100 nm (185 km) into the EEZ. The country has, over the last thirty years, made immense investments on offshore oil infrastructure which, today, has a replacement value of over rupees 1,75,000 crores at current market prices. Yet, it can be notedly seen that such widespread offshore oil manufacturings are in now way to hamper the maritime security if India; on the hand, it is pretty much enhancing the country's security status amidst the sea. Offshore oilfields are, therefore, national assets of vital economic importance. Any breakdown in either production of oil/gas or deviation in planned construction and expansion of the means of production is likely to negatively effect the long-term strategic planning of national economy. This infrastructure is extremely susceptible to disruptive activities as there are no physical barriers at sea; therefore, there is a need for suitable surveillance and protection, key to achieving the maritime security of India. The oil infrastructure in the Western Region is as follows: In order to successfully tap such potent gas/oil resources at sea, it is at first necessary to build and establish solid ground of India's maritime security, contrary to which the country has the chance to enter into perilous waters internationally. On the Eastern seaboard the oil fields of Ravva in the Krishna Godavari Basin and PY3 off Pondicherry together produced 2.69 MMT of crude in 1999-2000. The oil infrastructure on the Eastern Coast is as follows: There remains little to say that, the Ravva field with its uncanny location is in urgent need of proper seaside security, which together with the already established oil fields, will give a sizeable impetus to maritime security of India. It should be noted that presently seventy percent of India's crude oil requirements are imported all by sea. In 2002-2003, India imported approximately 82 MMT of crude and of this 75 percent was imported by sea from West Asia and the Persian Gulf. India is fast emerging as a major global market for petroleum products. In recent years however, the exploration sector has been opened up and indigenous production is envisioned to increase considerably. Self-sufficiency is impossible in view of the ever-increasing consumption rates. The bulk of imports from the Persian Gulf is handled in the Gulf of Kachchh because of its proximity. It is four to five times cheaper to use Kachchh vis-a-vis the ports on the East Coast and about half as cheap as the other ports on the West Coast. In addition, the Gulf of Kachchh is the nearest water frontage to the refineries and consumption centres located in north India. With three major refineries, four crude oil terminals and six SBMs, the Gulf of Kachchh and its adjoining areas are of national strategic importance and extremely important commercially. Hence, this Gulf region possesses reason enough to be turned into a fortified fortress, in the process making India's maritime security a parameter of praise. Presently, Kandla and the SBMs handle approximately 1500 ships a year. With the completion of the giant Reliance Refinery and with the Essar Refinery coming up, the number of VLCCs visiting the Gulf of Kachchh would increase manifold and is anticipated to increase to over 6000 ships by the year 2006. After such a moment has arrived, 15 to 20 tankers are expected to be transit between the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Kachchh at any point of time. The tidal waters with strong tides and restricted width of the channel make management of traffic a very knotty operation. Any spillage of oil due to any reason can be a cause of a major ecological disaster. There have been fifteen new oil and gas discoveries by private/JV companies in four significant areas, i.e. the deep waters of the Krishna-Godavari Basin, the Gulf of Khambat, onland Khambat basin and Rajasthan basin. The Fishing Industry in India India is the sixth largest producer of fish in the world and occupies second place in inland fish production. The fisheries sector occupies a pretty substantial place in the socio-economic development of the country and helps in augmenting food supply, rendering employment, advancing nutritional level and earning foreign exchange through export. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, there are six major fishing harbours, 41 minor fishing harbours and 138 fish landing centres being utilised by 220,903 traditional fishing crafts, 39,444 traditional motorised boats and 51,744 mechanised boats. The total fish production for the year 1999-2000 was 55.9 lakh tonnes, while the value of export of marine products stood at rupees 4627 crores. This sector is thus a central source of food and livelihood for a large section of economically backward population, particularly in coastal areas. Which is a more grave reason to beef up the maritime and coastline securities of India, contrary to which the earning graph of the country has fast chances to decline. |