Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the National Logistic Portal (marine) (NLP) in New Delhi on January 27, 2023. As anticipated by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry and the Ministry of Ports Shipping Waterways, the National Logistic Portal is a project of national importance.
This platform aims at connecting all the stakeholders of the logistics community. It improves transparency and efficiency by reducing time delays and costs and achieving faster, more accessible, and more competitive offerings of services. It also promotes the growth of the logistics sector to improve trade. NLP will cover all modes of transport in the roadways, waterways, and airways, including an E-marketplace that will provide end-to-end logistic service coverage. All the logistic stakeholders are integrated into NLP to provide speedier, easier, and more competitive services that will promote growth and trade.
NLP was initiated in July 2021 with the development of NLP Marine as a first phase. This platform allows the coexistence of multiple service providers to provide EXIM-related services. The services can be provided independently or by combining different connectivity options. The portal can integrate with various ICEGATE, Port Operating Systems/Terminal Operating Systems, stakeholder systems, and other regulatory agencies in the ecosystem.
It enhances the ease of doing business and aims to reduce regulatory complexities, which can be done by moving towards user-friendly paperless trade. This will be accomplished by utilizing the prowess of IT infrastructure and compliance certifications, centralizing all documentation and formal procedures for the trade. NLP Marine is categorised into four distinct verticals: Carrier, Cargo, Banking and Finance and Regulatory Bodies, and Participating Government Agencies (PGAs). It will provide the ability to securely transact with speed and transparency, shipment tracking with notification at every stage, and seamless exchange of documents.
As per Press Information Bureau, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “The Prime Minister on August 15, 2021, announced the PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan to provide systematic, multi-modal connectivity to various economic zones for seamless movement of people, goods & services resulting in the efficient conduct of logistics and economic activities. To fulfill this mission Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways has developed the NLP (marine) as an “open platform” that allows the coexistence of multiple service providers to provide EXIM-related services independently or by combining different connectivity options.”
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways
In 2020 the Ministry of Shipping was renamed the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, which is responsible for the administration and formulation of the rules, regulations, and laws relating to shipping, waterways, and ports. It comes under the jurisdiction of the Government of India.
