Vasan to visit Japan

On the invitation of Mr. Akihiro Ohta, Minister of Land, Infrastructure Transport and Tourism, Government of Japan, a delegation led by Mr G.K. Vasan, Union Minister of Shipping will be visiting Japan from Nov 7 to 12.

The delegation consists of Mr Vishwapati Trivedi, Secretary, Shipping, Mr R. Srinivasa Naik, Director, Mr M.A. Bhaskarachar, CMD of Ennore Port Ltd. and other officials of Ministry of Shipping.

During his visit to Japan, Mr Vasan will have discussions with the Japanese Government for better coordination between two countries and to enhance the Japanese interests in utilizing the facilities of Indian Ports, more particularly Ennore and Chennai Ports.

The delegation would also be visiting the Port of Yokohama and Port of Nagoya to see the port operations and the latest technologies being utilized in these two Ports. 

During the visit, the Minister will also have discussions for obtaining JICA funding for Outer Harbour project of VOC Port, Thuthikoodi.

It may be noted that many Japanese automobile manufacturing companies including Toyota, Mitsubushi, Isuzu, Nissan and Toshiba are using Chennai Port for importing automobile components through containers for their factories located in Chennai.

Another Japanese Company M/s Metal One (Mitsubishi group) is importing steel coils used for automobile through Chennai Port in the break bulk form.  Around 240 Japanese companies have developed business in and around Chennai in the last decade.

These Japanese Companies have also evincing interest in using Ennore Port, located some 30 km from Chennai Port.

At present, Nissan Motors India and Toyota are the major Japanese Companies using the Ennore Port facilities for their export.  M/s Nissan Motors has exported about 3 lakhs cars from Ennore Port.  Toyota has so far exported 42,000 cars from the Port.

Government of Japan has shown interest in developing Chennai-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor as part of Peninsular Region Industrial Development (PRIDe).  Ennore Port has been identified as a main logistic hub in industrial corridor development.  JICA has already commenced the study.

Besides scheduled meetings with Japanese Government officials and business leaders during their visit, the delegation would also visit cities like Kyoto and Osaka.

According to official sources, the proposed visit will enhance the Indo-Japanese cooperation and give a fillip to better coordination and cooperation between the two countries in the shipping sector.  Expertise of Japanese in port operations, ship recycling and shipbuilding will be utilized by the Indian ports and shipyards, they added.