Field Trip (Excursion) to Mumbai Port Trust 2022-23

The teachers and students assembled at the Mumbai Port Trust Yellow Gate, Indira Dock, Carnac Bunder Mumbai 400-009 at 7.00 a.m.

Attendance was taken and group photograph outside the main gate was taken. The student leaders Iqra Mulla of S.Y.B.Com. and Rahul Gond of T.Y.B.Com. completed the paper work and security formalities.

The tour guide Mr. Shashikant Dande, deputed by MBT, arrived. All the students partook of breakfast and then proceeded to the tour.

Tour Guide Mr. Shahikant Dande gave a brief description and history of Mumbai Port Trust. He described it as the oldest natural port. He explained that, after the transfer of the Port and Island to the East India Company by Royal Charter in 1668, development of the Port started taking shape. Various measures such as construction of a Custom house, a warehouse, dry docks etc. were taken up by the Company to encourage trade. In 1813, an act of the British Parliament ended the Company’s commercial monopoly. This resulted in a great spurt in the trade of the Port. The year 1858 witnessed the exit of East India Company, and passing of Mumbai under the direct rule of the British Crown. In 1873, the present statutory autonomous Port Trust was set up for administering the affairs of the Mumbai Port. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 revolutionized the maritime trade of Mumbai. It shifted the whole scenario of import and export trade from the East coast to the West and Mumbai port became the principal Gateway of India. The first wet dock constructed in India was the Sassoon Dock at Mumbai in 1875 followed by the Prince’s and Victoria Docks in 1880 and 1888 respectively. However, Princess and Victoria Dock are being filled up to convert the consultant area to make temporary stacking yard for containers in connection with “Offshore Container Terminal” in Indira Dock. The Alexandra Dock renamed Indira Dock in January 1972, the most modern of Mumbai’s docks, was constructed in 1904-1914. To handle petroleum products and liquid chemicals, a jetty was constructed at Pir Pau in 1923 and a new modern jetty capable of handling tankers of 47,000 Displacement tons was commissioned in December 1996. A modern oil terminal at Jawahar Dweep with three berths was constructed between 1952-1956, and the fourth oil berth capable of receiving tankers upto 1,25,000 Displacement tons was constructed between 1980-1984.

The students walked through the port and witnessed the cars, busses and other automobiles lined up for export to Srilanka. Automobiles that had been imported were also lined up in the yards. It was an impressive sight. The students walked on to see the tall cranes that had grabs to lift loose cargo like grains and pulses. These were remote control operated and the students were keen to understand how they worked. A cargo ship was on the banks and the students were awe-struck by the sheer magnitude of the vessel. Further in the port they saw a commercial vessel, a cruise liner, that looked grand and impressive. The tour guide explained that it had a swimming pool and even hotels on different floors and that curse liners took passengers to Singapore, Goa and Vishakhapatnam. Mr. Dande took small groups of students to the Dry Dock, a special area off the port where ships were repaired and maintained. We could witness the huge ship on blocks below which repair work on the bottom of the ship was being conducted. This was an interesting sight to see. While walking from the Yellow Gate, we crossed the Blue Gate and Grey Gate and saw the Babasaheb Ambedkar administrative building.

The tour of the facility under construction, a five star hotel in the making by the Mumbai Port Trust, the Government of India and Travel and Tourism Department of India was an impressive sight. The students relaxed for a bit in this facility and moved to see submarines in action. We could see 3 submarines spurting out water at the far end of the Arabian sea. The Gate Way of India and the Taj hotel too were visible over the horizon.

The field trip ended after proposing a vote of thanks to the tour guide Mr. Shashikant Dande and the MBT authorities for the wonderful opportunity to visit the port.