According to the Indian Union minister Shripad Naik, no job loss was reported in the ports and shipping during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Naik also added that the blockage at Suez Canal in May had no adverse impact on the maritime sector.
As he explained, the impact of Covid-19 at major ports started from March 2020, causing a considerable decline in the total traffic, but no job loss.
What is more, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has issued directions to ports to establish a screening, detection and quarantine system of disembarking seafarers or cruise passengers, as well as obtain self-declaration from arriving crews/passengers, and install thermal scanners.
As for the Suez Canal, incident he noted that it did not lead to adverse impact on the overall lndian maritime trade, as only one Indian vessel had to wait in queue.
Finally, Mr. Naik concluded that Indian shipping enterprises have also been allowed to acquire ships abroad and also flag them in the country of their convenience.
