Mangaluru: Union Minister for Shipping Nitin Gadkari during his visit to Mangaluru on 15 December 2015, reviewed the Port development and performance and directed NMPT and MRPL to take up the LNG Project in the fast track and commission it by June 2017 to make LNG available to the fertilizer plants. This will reduce the cost of urea which in turn will reduce the government subsidy and make fertilizer available at cheaper rates to farmers.
He further added that the Port should award the work for the mechanisation of coal handling in January 2016. He also discussed the status of the satellite port in North Karnataka near Belikere and directed to follow up with Railways and the State Government for the development of Ankola-Hubli railway line that would facilitate port service at a competitive rate to the industries of Bellary, Hospet, Raichur and Dharwad.
The Minister instructed the port to implement the recommendations of the Bostan Consultancy group (International Benchmark Consultancy appointed by the Ministry of Shipping) to improve the efficiency and productivity to optimise the port transaction cost.