Port Blair declared a major port

The centre has declared the port  at Port Blair, the capital of the union territiry of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, a major port under the Indian Ports Act, 1908, with effect from 1 June, 2010, making it the 13th major port in India.
 
With this decision, the major provisions of the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, have become applicable to the port at Port Blair. from 1 June, 2010.

The other major ports are Kolkata (including Dock Complex at Haldia), Paradip, Visakhapatnam, Chennai, Tuticorin, Cochin, New Mangalore, Mormugao, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mumbai, Kandla and Ennore.

The port at Port Blair will now have territorial jurisdiction over all ports in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. These include East Island Port, Diglipur Port (Port Cornwalis), Mayabunder Port, Elphinston Harbour Rangat Port, Havelock Port, Neil Island Port, Port Blair port, (Jolly Buoys) Macpherson Strait Port, Cinque & South Cinque Islands Port, Dugong Creek Port, Hut Bay Port, Mus Car Nicobar (West) Port, Malaca Car Nicobar (East) Port, Tillanchang Port, Tillachang (Castile Bay) Port, Chowra Port, Teressa Port, Nancowry Harbour Port, Katchal (East Bay) Port, Pillomillow Port, Kondul Port, Campbell Bay Port and South Bay Port.

A committee headed by joint secretary (ports), ministry of shipping and chairman, Tuticorin Port Trust, and four others as members, have been constituted to identify the staff requirement at Port Blair Port Trust.

The entire establishment of the port management board will now become a part of the new port trust in consultation with the Andaman & Nicobar Administration and Andaman Lakshadweep Harbour Works.

The chief secretary, of the Andaman & Nicobar Administration will hold additional charge as chairman, Port Blair Port Trust, while the chief port administrator of Port Management Board, of the administration, will also function as secretary till a regular appointment is notified.

The centrre has also decided to bifurcate the Andaman Lakshadweep Harbour Works into Andaman Harbour works and Lakshadweep Harbour Works.

While the Andaman Harbour Works stands merged with Port Blair Port Trust, the Lakshadweep Harbour Works will now function under the direct control of the shipping ministry, headed by the deputy chief engineer, and will have the status of a subordinate office to the ministry.