पत्तन,पोत परिवहन और जलमार्ग मंत्रालय
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
Government of India

Maritime Transport is a critical infrastructure for the social and economic development of a country. It influences the pace, structure, and pattern of development. The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways encompass within its fold ports, shipping, and waterways sectors which include Shipbuilding and Ship-repair, Major Ports, National Waterways, and Inland Water Transport.
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has been entrusted with the responsibility to formulate policies and programs on these subjects and their implementation. A comprehensive policy package is necessary to address the diverse issues facing the Maritime transport sector.
The capacity of the ports in terms of their berths and cargo handling equipment needs to be vastly improved to cater to the growing requirements of overseas trade. The Ports, Shipping, and Waterways industries need to be enabled to carry higher shares of the sea-borne trade in indigenous bottoms. Historically, investments in the transport sector, particularly in the ports, have been made by the States mainly because of the large volume of resources required, long gestation periods, uncertain returns, and various externalities, both positive and negative, associated with this infrastructure.