The Port of Rotterdam is eyeing opportunities in India and the country’s Sagarmala Programme to develop the performance of its logistics sector.
Marc Aartsen, Program Manager International Port Projects, Port of Rotterdam, told an online media briefing: “The capacity of Indian ports needs to improve and that is also recognised by the Government of India. We see a lot of potential in the Indian market and we have assigned two Rotterdam representatives in India.
India one of a small number of locations that the port has overseas representatives along with China, Indonesia, Russia and few places in Europe. In October 2019 two Memorandums of Understanding were signed by the Port of Rotterdam Authority – one with the Maharashtra Maritime Board and one with the state government of Kerala.
The Port of Rotterdam International currently participates as a shareholder in two overseas port projects – one in Sohar, Oman, and the other Pecem in Brazil.
The port looked at India in the mid-2000’s, however, nothing ever came to fruition. However, with India’s current government and the Sagarmala Project to invest in both new and existing ports interest from the Port of Rotterdam has been rekindled.
“We are certainly interested in looking into interesting investment projects,” Aartsen said, without giving any specific investment targets. Given the long-term nature of port investment the current Covid-19 pandemic does not necessarily impact plans the company might have in India.
“We always see these kind of developments in the long-term so we are not very much scared off by economic setback for the short term as these decision making are going to invest somewhere take a long time especially if you are talking about greenfield locations,” he explained.
Source:- Daily Shipping Times
