Indian Ports Association

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About

Port represents a collection of physical facilities and services designed to serve as an interchange point between land and sea transport. It is a single organizational unit with multi-dimensional activities integrated within the logistics chains for providing services to maritime trade. In India there are 12 major ports and around 181 minor and intermediate ports, which handles more than 300 million tonnes of cargo per annum. The port sector has witnessed large-scale investment through government and private sector for modernisation programme. In the new era of liberalisation and privatisation, functionality of ports is changing from their traditional role as an organisation in charge of all port activities to become a coordinator of these activities. High degree of competition has resulted into reduction of excess labour, aggravated by the trend towards intensive investment of capital at seaports through private sector participation.

The Profile IPA is an organisation that was conceived and constituted by the Major Ports of India under the Societies Registration act in 1966 with the prime objective of developing and increasing efficiency and productivity in ports and its working environment. The functioning body of IPA comprises of the Chairman of all Major Ports, which are the local authorities formed by a statue and function under the regulatory control of Ministry of Surface Transport, Govt of India. The Chairman of Association is elected in the Annual General Meeting while the Secretariat of IPA is headed by the Managing Director who operates from New Delhi. The Objectives To undertake and promote Engineering, Technical, Economic, Financial, Managerial and Statistical studies and Research into matters pertaining to the Planning, Organisation Management, Operation, Maintenance and Construction of Ports and Harbour and to Provide total technical support; To efficate and promote the use of Work Study, Management Accounting and Strategies and other topof-the-line tools of management with a view to increase efficiency and productivity in ports; To bring together various national as well as international organisations interested in Port and Harbour Operations, Management and allied activities, by offering memberships and organising seminars, conferences and other similar activities; To promote the culture of Uniformity and Standardisation in the port working wherever it is required and to be advantageous. To maintain Liaison with Ports and Government agencies; To produce a conducive forum for exchange of ideas of common interest. The Reservoir With huge data bank , IPA is also a prime source of information relating to various aspects of the functioning of major Ports to Ministries under the Govt. of India, the Planning commission, Major Ports, International bodies and a host of user agencies. And this information is shared through on-line data transmission which is possible because of a well integrated network - NICNET. Realms of activities covered by IPA Data Bank are Ship/Cargo Operations, Port Performance and Monitoring of Physical and Financial progress of Port developmental projects The Resource With a collection of over 5,000 publications related to Port and Harbour Engineering, Material Handling, Operation and Management, Environment, Information Technology, Human Resource Management, Law, etc. and journals, both Indian and foreign covering global maritime activities, the IPA library is a one-stop information. The Communication The in-depth information acquired at IPA is shared through a quarterly journal INDIAN PORTS and an annual journal MAJOR PORTS OF INDIA - A PROFILE. While INDIAN PORTS covers interesting and relevant developments in the industry and gives insight information of the various activities of Major Ports, MAJOR PORTS OF INDIA - A PROFILE gives a comprehensive statistical and management information related to Cargo and Shipping, Port Productivity, Financial results, Personnel, Port Facilities, etc. of all Major ports with brief statistics on State Ports. The Edge With an incomparable and envious infrastructure, it was no surprise to receive requests seeking professional advice from Major Ports as well as from a number of public and private agencies. Thus IPA expanded into a full fledged professional body, to offer consultancy services on port related matters. And in order to excel in this venture, IPA has collaborated with some of the leading national and international consultants for studies within as well as outside the country. The subject matters genarally covered are: Master Plans and Perspective Plans for Major Ports Techno-Economic Feasibility Studies Addition/Upgradation of Ports Facilities Development of Greenfield Ports Appraisal of Port Projects National Level Studies Related to Port Organisational Re-structuring Consultancy studies are carried out by a team of dedicated experts in related fields such as Traffic Forecasting, Project Appraisal, Port Operations, Harbour Engineering, Hydrology, Cargo Handling Equipment, Navigational Facilities, etc. The Affiliations The list of affiliations with prestigious national and overseas organisations is yet another laurel for IPA: An Associate member of International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH) and International Cargo Handling Co-ordination Association (ICHCA). An active member of EDI Council set up by the Ministry of Commerce, Govt. of India. Represents Major Ports in the Committee on Infrastructure Development constituted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (Cll). A close associate of the Indian Institute of Port Management, Calcutta and National Institute of Port Management, Chennai. Patron of Major Ports Sports Control Board and Cultural activities at the national level. The Other activities IPA is consulted by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank,UNCTAD, ESCAP, CMIE, etc. in preparation of Port and Shipping Sector Studies commissioned by them from time to time. IPA provides necessary inputs and secretarial support to the Committees headed by the Chairman, IPA which revise the pay and allowancss of the Port’s employees. IPA undertakes the aligning of the IMO-FAL Convention documents to the needs of Indian Ports, Customs and other government agencies. In order to widen the horizons of knowledge in the port and shipping sector across the world, IPA on a regular basis, interacts with ths port professionals, transport economists, engineers and environmental experts from the World Bank, ESCAP, UNDP, Asian Development Bank, UNCTAD, Cll, FICCI, ASSOCHAM, TERI as well as the executives of leading consultants, shipping companies and ports both in India and abroad. IPA organises workshops and seminars at national and international level to promote an integrated approach to the development problems between the representatives of various sub-systems of transport like railways, roads, inland waterways, etc.

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