Mumbai Port Trust
Encyclopedia
Mumbai Port, earlier known as Bombay Port, lies midway (Latitude 18° 56.3' N, Longitude 72° 45.9' E) on the West coast of India
, on the natural deep-water harbor
of Mumbai
. The harbor spread over 400 square kilometre is protected by the mainland of Konkan
to its east and north and by the island city of Mumbai
to its west. The harbour opens to the south to the Arabian Sea
.
The port is administered by the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), an autonomous corporation wholly owned by the Government of India
. The port is primarily used for bulk cargo, while most container
traffic is directed to Nhava Sheva
port across the harbor.
Navy, as well as the British and Portuguese colonial navies.
The first of the present-day docks of the Mumbai Port were built in the 1870s. Bombay Port Trust (BPT) was established as a corporation on June 26, 1873. BPT's founding chairman was Colonel J.A. Ballard. From its establishment, the port has been the gateway to India, and was a primary factor in the emergence of Mumbai as the commercial capital of India. The port and the corporation took their present names in the 1990s.
Over the decades, the port underwent tremendous expansion, with the addition of berths and cargo handling capacities. However, Mumbai's expanding growth and population pressure constrained the growth of the port by the 1970s. This led to the establishment of the Nhava Sheva port across Mumbai Harbour in Navi Mumbai
on the Konkan mainland. Nhava Sheva begain operations in 1989, and most container traffic now flows through Nhava Sheva.
Mumbai Port handled over 57 million tonnes of cargo during 2007-2008. Cruise liners visiting Mumbai usually dock at the Ballard Pier Extension of Mumbai Port.
, enabling vessels to enter or depart at any time.
The port has four jetties on Jawahar Dweep, an island in the harbour, for handling Crude and petroleum
products. These jetties have a draft of 12.2 metres (40 ft). Liquid chemicals are handled from a jetty on Pirpau.
Ballard Pier Extension has a passenger terminal, including immigration clearance facilities for crews and passengers of cruise liners.
The port has a total of 63 anchorage points. A pilot is mandatory for all vessels of over 100 tonnes net weightage.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, on the natural deep-water harbor
Mumbai Harbour
Mumbai Harbour , or Front Bay, is a natural deep-water harbor in the southern portion of the Ulhas River estuary. The narrower, northern part of the estuary is called Thane Creek. The harbor opens to the Arabian Sea to the south...
of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
. The harbor spread over 400 square kilometre is protected by the mainland of Konkan
Konkan
The Konkan also called the Konkan Coast or Karavali is a rugged section of the western coastline of India from Raigad to Mangalore...
to its east and north and by the island city of Mumbai
Mumbai
Mumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
to its west. The harbour opens to the south to the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
.
The port is administered by the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT), an autonomous corporation wholly owned by the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
. The port is primarily used for bulk cargo, while most container
Intermodal container
An intermodal container is a standardized reusable steel box used for the safe, efficient and secure storage and movement of materials and products within a global containerized intermodal freight transport system...
traffic is directed to Nhava Sheva
Nhava Sheva
Nhava Sheva, officially Jawaharlal Nehru Port, is the 6th largest port and the largest container port in India. Located in Maharashtra, the port on the Arabian Sea is accessed via Thane Creek.- History :...
port across the harbor.
History
Mumbai Harbour has been used by ships and boats for centuries. It was used by the MarathaMaratha Empire
The Maratha Empire or the Maratha Confederacy was an Indian imperial power that existed from 1674 to 1818. At its peak, the empire covered much of South Asia, encompassing a territory of over 2.8 million km²....
Navy, as well as the British and Portuguese colonial navies.
The first of the present-day docks of the Mumbai Port were built in the 1870s. Bombay Port Trust (BPT) was established as a corporation on June 26, 1873. BPT's founding chairman was Colonel J.A. Ballard. From its establishment, the port has been the gateway to India, and was a primary factor in the emergence of Mumbai as the commercial capital of India. The port and the corporation took their present names in the 1990s.
Over the decades, the port underwent tremendous expansion, with the addition of berths and cargo handling capacities. However, Mumbai's expanding growth and population pressure constrained the growth of the port by the 1970s. This led to the establishment of the Nhava Sheva port across Mumbai Harbour in Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai
Navi Mumbai is a Planned Satellite City on the west coast of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It was developed in 1972 as a twin city of Mumbai, and is the largest planned city on the planet, with under the jurisdiction of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation and a total area of . Navi Mumbai...
on the Konkan mainland. Nhava Sheva begain operations in 1989, and most container traffic now flows through Nhava Sheva.
Mumbai Port handled over 57 million tonnes of cargo during 2007-2008. Cruise liners visiting Mumbai usually dock at the Ballard Pier Extension of Mumbai Port.
Facilities
Mumbai Port has three enclosed wet docks. Prince's Dock was commissioned in 1880. As of 2008, it has 8 berths with a minimum draft of 6.4 metres (21 ft). Victoria Dock, commissioned in 1891, had 14 berths as of 2008 with a minimum draft of 6.7 metres (22 ft). Indira Dock, commissioned in 1914, had 21 berths, with a minimum draft of 7 metres (23 ft). Prince's Dock and Victoria Dock are semi-tidal docks, with vessels docking and departing at high tide. Indira Dock has a lockLock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
, enabling vessels to enter or depart at any time.
The port has four jetties on Jawahar Dweep, an island in the harbour, for handling Crude and petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
products. These jetties have a draft of 12.2 metres (40 ft). Liquid chemicals are handled from a jetty on Pirpau.
Ballard Pier Extension has a passenger terminal, including immigration clearance facilities for crews and passengers of cruise liners.
The port has a total of 63 anchorage points. A pilot is mandatory for all vessels of over 100 tonnes net weightage.