Government making efforts to bring investment in ports sector: G K Vasan

NEW DELHI: The government is making continuous efforts to attract investment in the ports sector for augmentation of freight, Shipping Minister G K Vasan said today.

The minister said that Belgium is India's second largest trading partner with more than 150 Belgian companies in India with interests in dredging, chemicals, engineering goods, electronics and software etc.

In the maritime sector, India and Belgium have signed a MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) in 1997 which is now extended up to 2015, he said.

He was speaking at a meeting with a high level Belgian delegation in Mumbai today.

Over 300 member delegation comprises Princess Astrid of Belgium, the Federal Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and European Affairs among others.

Every year, Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Centre ( APEC) has been training many Indian Maritime officials on Port Management, Inland Waterways Transport, Dredging Technology, and a host of other issues, an official statement said.

The two countries also have sister Port Agreements for sharing of information on port infrastructure development and operation and service improvement.

Presently, Chennai Port with Port of Zeebrugge and JN Port and Mumbai Port with Antwerp Port Authority have sister port agreements, the statement said.