Ports and Maritime Technology Trade Mission to India

The United States Department of Commerce (DOC), International Trade Administration (ITA), U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service (CS), is organizing an executive-led Ports and Maritime Technology Trade Mission to India from February 20 to 24, 2012.

The mission will include one-on-one business appointments with pre-screened potential buyers, agents, distributors and joint venture partners; meetings with national and regional government officials; and networking events.  The purpose of the mission is to introduce U.S. firms to India’s rapidly expanding port and maritime technology market and to assist U.S. companies pursue export opportunities in this sector.  The mission to India is intended to include representatives from leading U.S. companies that provide state-of-the-art cargo handling equipment, port security and maritime technology equipment.

The mission will visit three cities, Chennai, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.  In Mumbai the trade mission will coincide with Reed Exhibitions’ Shipping, Transport & Logistics (SITL) trade show, which takes place February 23 to 25.  Trade mission participants will also have the option to begin their trip with a visit to Kolkata, where CS Kolkata will arrange meetings with public sector port officials from the states of West Bengal and Orissa. 

Participating in an official U.S. industry delegation, rather than travelling to India on their own, will enhance the companies’ ability to secure meetings in India. 

Map of India

Where?

Chennai, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Kolkata, India

When?

February 20-24, 2012

Why?

Rapidly Expanding Ports and Maritime Technology Market, with much government investment

  • India, one of the world’s fastest growing economies, presents lucrative opportunities for U.S. companies that offer products and services in the maritime transport industry.
  • According to an Ernst and Young report, the majority of cargo-handling equipment at Indian ports was commissioned long ago and has outlived its life span.
  • To meet the anticipated growth in traffic the major and minor ports have formulated plans for the development of new terminals, upgrading existing berths and modernizing operations by including state of the art cargo handling equipment, tracking systems, deepening of channels, and widening of roads. 
  • In January 2011 the Government of India announced a new shipping sector policy that entails an investment of $66 billion in the port sector and $27 billion for the shipping sector.  This new policy proposes to increase India’s port capacity from 1 billion tons to 3.2 billion tons by 2020. 
  • A Trade Mission led by the U.S. Department of Commerce offers an attractive entrée for U.S. ports and maritime tech firms and associations given India’s complex market.

Who?

The Mission is designed to include representatives from the following ports and maritime tech sub-sectors:

  • Cargo-handling
  • Port security
  • Maritime technology
  • Port cleaning
  • Refrigerated supply chain
  • Port engineering
  • Shipping agents
  • Warehousing and stevedoring
  • Port management and consulting
  • Bulk cargo containers
  • Railways, bridges, and distribution center construction
  • Systems for cargo and container tracking

Fees

Cost: $3,760 for large firms and $3,560 for an SME (less than 500 employees), for one representative. The fee for each additional representative is $750.  The fee for the optional stop in Kolkata is $600 for large firms and $450 for SMEs, for one representative. 

More Information

For more information contact Trade Specialist David McCormack at david.mccormack@trade.gov; (202) 482-2833.

To Apply

Fill out the Trade Mission Application, and email/fax the completed form to:
David McCormack
Email: David.mccormack@trade.gov
Fax: (202) 482-9000