Growth of Indian Shipping

November 23, 2015

Author: Surendra

At the time of Independence, The total number of vessels in India was 59 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) amounting to 192 vessel tonnes during the year 1947. Out of this, the number of overseas vessels in India was 11 with the total GRT amounting to 73 vessel tonnes and the number of coastal vessels in India was 48 with the total GRT amounting to 119 vessel tonnes. The total number of vessels in India was 1204 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) amounting to 10309 tonnes during the year 2014. Out of this, the number of overseas vessels in India was 358 with the total GRT amounting to 9090 vessel tonnes and the number of coastal vessels in India was 846 with the total GRT amounting to 1218 vessel tonnes. Thus, during the period between the year 1947 and the year 2014, the absolute growth of 1145 was recorded in the number of vessels with percentage growth of 1940.70%. In terms of GRT, the absolute growth of 10117 vessel tonnes was recorded in GRT with percentage growth of 5269%.

The Indian Shipping has shown good growth from the year 2000 to the year 2014 in terms of the number of vessels as well as Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT). Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) applies to the vessel and not to cargo. It is the weight of the volume occupied by the closed in space of a ship taking 100 cubic feet of such closed in spaces as equivalent to one vessel ton. It thus refers to the cubic capacity of the vessels.

 

The total number of vessels in India was 549 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) amounting to 6953 vessel tonnes during the year 2000.

The total number of vessels in India was 557 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) amounting to 6968 tonnes during the year 2001.The total number of vessels increased by 8 (1.46) as compared to the year 2000 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) increasing by 15 tonnes (0.22). The total number of vessels in India was 721 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) amounting to 8243 tonnes during the year 2005.The total number of vessels increased by 52 (7.77) as compared to the year 2004 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) increasing by 542 tonnes (7.04).

The total number of vessels in India was 1040 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) amounting to 10165 tonnes during the year 2010.The total number of vessels increased by 66 (6.78) as compared to the year 2009 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) increasing by 686 tonnes (7.24). The total number of vessels in India was 1204 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) amounting to 10309 tonnes during the year 2014.The total number of vessels increased by 5 (0.42) as compared to the year 2013 with the total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) decreasing by -74 tonnes (-0.71).

Dataset URL: https://data.gov.in/catalog/indian-fleet-statistics-0

The long term growth of Indian fleet in terms of number of vessels is as follows:

 

At the end of 1951 there were 103 registered vessels, showing an increase by 44 vessels (75%) as compared to 1947. At the end of 1961 there were 174 registered vessels, showing an increase by 71 vessels (69%) as compared to 1951. At the end of 1971 there were 255 registered vessels, showing an increase by 81 vessels (47%) as compared to 1961. At the end of 1981 there were 403 registered vessels, showing an increase by 148 vessels (58%) as compared to 1971. At the end of 1991 there were 415 registered vessels, showing an increase by 12 vessels (3%) as compared to 1981. At the end of 2001 there were 557 registered vessels, showing an increase by 142 vessels (34%) as compared to 1991. At the end of 2011 there were 1122 registered vessels, showing an increase by 565 vessels (101%) as compared to 2001.

As on 31st December 2014, India had a fleet strength of 1204 Total vessels, compared with fleet strength of 1199 Total vessels at the end of December, 2013. This reflects a net addition of 5 vessels (0.42%). Out of the 1204 vessels registered as on 31st December, 2014, 846 vessels (70.3%) were engaged in coastal trade and the remaining 358 vessels (29.7%) were deployed for overseas trade. As on 1947, there were 59 Total vessels in India.

Dataset URL: https://data.gov.in/catalog/indian-fleet-statistics-0

The long term growth of Indian fleet in terms of Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) is as under:

 

The Indian Shipping has shown good growth from the year 1951 to the year 2014 in terms of Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT).

The total Gross Registered Tonnage (GRT) of Indian Fleet was 391 tonnes with the average GRT amounting to 3.8 tonnes in the year 1951. The total GRT of Indian Fleet was 901 tonnes with the average GRT amounting to 5.2 tonnes in the year 1961.The total GRT increased by 510 tonnes (130.43%) as compared to the year 1951 with the average GRT increasing by 1.4 tonnes (36.84%). The total GRT of Indian Fleet was 2500 tonnes with the average GRT amounting to 9.8 tonnes in the year 1971.The total GRT increased by 1599 (177.47%) as compared to the year 1961 with the average GRT increasing by 4.6 tonnes (88.46%). The total GRT of Indian Fleet was 5889 tonnes with the average GRT amounting to 14.6 tonnes in the year 1981.The total GRT increased by 3389 tonnes (135.56%) as compared to the year 1971 with the average GRT increasing by 4.8 tonnes (48.98%). The total GRT of Indian Fleet was 5939 tonnes with the average GRT amounting to 14.3 tonnes in the year 1991.The total GRT increased by 50 tonnes (0.85%) as compared to the year 1981 with the average GRT decreasing by -0.3 tonnes (-2.05%).

The total GRT of Indian Fleet was 6968 tonnes with the average GRT amounting to 12.5 tonnes in the year 2001.The total GRT increased by 1029 tonnes (17.33%) as compared to the year 1991 with the average GRT decreasing by -1.8 tonnes (-12.59%). The total GRT of Indian Fleet was 11061 tonnes with the average GRT amounting to 9.9 tonnes in the year 2011.The total GRT increased by 4093 tonnes (58.74%) as compared to the year 2001 with the average GRT decreasing by -2.6 tonnes (-20.8%). The total GRT of Indian Fleet was 10309 tonnes with the average GRT amounting to 8.6 tonnes in the year 2014.The total GRT decreased by -752 tonnes (-6.8%) as compared to the year 2011 with the average GRT decreasing by -1.3 tonnes (-13.13%).

Dataset URL: https://data.gov.in/catalog/indian-fleet-statistics-0

The outlay on shipping sector has almost consistently increased over the plan period in India, barring the dip in outlay in Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17) as compared to Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12). The outlay on shipping sector increased from Rs. 26 crores in the First Five Year Plan (1951-1956) to Rs. 10142 crores in the Twelfth Five Year Plan (2012-17) as per the details in the chart given below:

Data Source URL:  http://shipping.nic.in/showfile.php?lid=1960

The maximum outlay on shipping sector was made during the period of the Eleventh Five Year Plan (2007-12) and amounted to Rs. 15026. It showed a steep growth of Rs. 7272 crores in absolute terms and in terms of percentage growth, the growth recorded was 93.78% i.e. almost doubling of the amount of the outlay.

Sources of Data: Data.gov.in; Ministry of Shipping Reports