Issue link: https://jocdigital.uberflip.com/i/802605
APRIL 2017 14 THE JOURNAL OF COMMERCE www.joc.com JOC STAFF REPORT INDIA'S GROWTH POTENTIAL Project cargo and breakbulk demand surges as India chips away at infrastructure and trade barriers ECONOMIC GROWTH, INFRASTRUCTURE upgrades, energy- related projects, and efforts to weed out trade barriers and customs red tape are combining to make India a bright spot for breakbulk and heavy-lift shipments. "There is heav y demand for construction equip- ment. Sectors such as roads, air por ts, power, and seaports have become very attractive for both domestic and foreign investors," said Capt. Sandeep Anand, CEO of projects and engineering solutions at third-party logistics provider Allcargo. The Indian government's new flagship program, Make In India, aims to boost domestic manufacturing via pri- vate participation, and is expected to bolster demand for heavy construction. India's breakbulk and project cargo imports histori- cally have exceeded exports. The country's economy continued to expand while the 2008 financial meltdown battered much of the world. India's GDP has grown more than 7 percent annually in the last three fiscal years, and most forecasts call for growth to accelerate. East Asia, especially China, accounts for the majority of India's breakbulk inbound traffic, followed by western Europe, Russia, and the US. India's breakbulk exports, dominated by steel pipes and sheets, and machinery, move primarily to Europe, the US, and China. Most Indian ports have facilities to handle multipur- pose vessels, but breakbulk and project cargo is con- centrated at Mumbai, Kandla, and Mundra, on the west coast, and Chennai and Visakhapatnam on the east coast. Breakbulk carriers ser ving India include well- known industry names such as Rickmers-Linie, Conti Lines, Chipolbrok, BBC Chartering, and Hansa Heavy Lift. Roll-on, roll-off carriers such as Hoegh Autoliners also call at the ports of Mumbai, Pipavav, Mundra, and Chennai. Breakbulk services at India are generally on