CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1General
Ports are integral part of a countrys economy. Ports serve as interface between sea
and land and have to handle flow of goods which will be distributed to the hinterland
by road, rail and inland waterways. Thus, sea ports are integral parts of global supply
chains. Ports handle majority the worlds trade and hence its capacity and efficiency
will determine the growth and economic potential of any maritime country.
In the present scenario, many new developments are coming in the field of
shipping like the size and draft of vessels. Optimization of the available facilities in a
port and to prepare ambitious plans for expansion and modernization of ports is
required. This modernization and developments mainly include the installation of
deepwater berths, storage yards, container handling equipments and other allied
facilities. These facilities are far too expensive to be provided at each and every port
so easily. So naturally there should be a healthy competition among the ports of a
country for its development. Each port requires a well planned approach in its
planning for its future developments. This planning does not depend up on only one
factor. Comprehensive planning is required before installation of facilities at ports.
Ports will not be simply functioning as the link between land and sea transport, they
are more of like self sustaining industries which work with a mission statement and
moto for performance betterment. So while planning is done for an existing port
mainly the investigations about new developments in technology, economic impact
assessment and a proper strategy are compulsory prerequisites.
1.2 Port Planning and Development
The development of each individual port must be comprehensively planned.
The development of a port consists of a combination of medium-term and long-term
planning of new facilities. In the case of an existing port, a program of short-term
action to improve the management, the present facilities and their use are commonly
employed. For each investment there must, firstly a planning phase, which ends in a
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recommendation on which course of action the port should follow, giving only abroad
treatment of each technical aspect; secondly, a decision phase, which can be
substantial and includes the securing of funds: thirdly, a design phase, which turns the
chosen plan into detailed engineering designs, and lastly, the construction or
implementation phase.
The long-term plan-the master plan as it is often called-consists of a view of
the future situation as it will be after a series of individual developments have been
carried out. However, it does not try to say whether and exactly when each of them
will occur, since this will depend on traffic development. The master plan will be set
within the framework of the national ports plan and in turn will provide a framework
within which the medium-term plans for action can be drawn up and specific projects
defined. This principle of going from a broad long-term plan to a detailed mediumterm proposal should be a standard procedure.

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