Chennai port to arrange tours for school kids

Chennai: The recent announcement by Union Shipping Minister G.K. Vasan of opening the Chennai port gates to school children will go a long way in creating awareness and strengthening the shipping industry.

While adults and even children are aware of the need for an airport, not many know the use of a seaport in this world where 90 per cent of cargo is tr­a­n­s­­ported through ships. Ho­w­e­ver, the onus lies with the port authorities, as they need to arrange for such to­urs, keeping in mind operational and safety issues.

Chennai port trust (CPT) ch­a­irman Atulya Misra told Deccan Chronicle that the port authorities are re­a­dy to give permission to sc­h­ools within seven days of a request. “We prefer a we­ek day as the strength of off­icials at the port is at the maximum and also because we can depute authorised people to accompany the children for a guided tour. We will not charge any entry fees. But the schools need to arrange for transport,” he said.

Misra added that due to frequent trailer movement inside the port premises, the children will not be allowed to walk inside. “We will take them in a vehicle and they can disembark at designated spots like the signal station and so on. We can also show th­em an eight-minute video film on the Chennai port. For senior secondary students, we can organise a PowerPoint presentation about port operations,” Misra said.

“It will be an opportunity to create awareness about the import and export industry to students,” said Tamil chamber of commerce president Chozha Naa­chiar. According to him, even top industrialists in the import and export business are not aware of port operations as they hardly get an opportunity to go inside the port.

“With the advent of low-cost airlines, common man gets to visit the airport and get updated about even the smallest investment made inside those premises. But huge ventures go unnoticed inside the port as the port premise is out of bounds for the public due to security reasons,” he added.

“With this concept of a guided tour for children, the awareness level about opportunities in the shipping industry and operations of Exim trade among the public will increase,” Naachiar asserted.

Indira Balaji, a class 6 student from a city school, who was thrilled at walking up the stairs at the lighthouse in the Marina on Sunday, said she would love to see the ships at close quarters at Chennai port.