War risk insurance premiums for ships rise amid maritime security woes

War risk insurance premiums for ships have surged in high-risk maritime zones, the Shipping Ministry confirmed. Despite regional conflicts, officials assure that all Indian ports remain uncongested, with operations running smoothly.

War Risk Insurance Premiums Increase Amid Security Concerns

Special Secretary in the Shipping Ministry Rajesh Kumar Sinha on Wednesday said that war risk insurance premiums for ships have increased amid evolving security concerns in sensitive maritime regions. Speaking during an inter-ministerial briefing, Sinha explained that such premiums, which are typically minimal, rise significantly when vessels operate in high-risk or conflict-prone areas.

"The additional war risk premium is being imposed now. Under normal circumstances, it is very low--around 0.01 per cent or 0.02 per cent," he said.

He added that the premium increases depending on the risk exposure of a vessel's route, particularly when entering conflict zones. "If a ship enters a war zone, is on a voyage through such an area, or enters any high-risk region, the war risk premium increases," he noted.

Sinha further said that insurance companies assess and determine these premiums based on prevailing security threats in the region. "Insurance companies determine this based on their assessment of the security threat. It has certainly gone up," he said.

Indian Ports Uncongested, Operations Smooth

Amid uncertainty over energy supplies due to the ongoing West Asia conflict, Sinha also said that no congestion has been reported at any port across India, assuring that maritime operations and cargo movement remain smooth and under close monitoring.

Additional Secretary said the Visakhapatnam Port Authority has created approximately 2,250 square metres of additional storage space to handle any potential surge in cargo.

He cited Mundra Port as an example, where, against a total container handling capacity of around four lakh TEUs, current occupancy stands at approximately 25 per cent.

"I had mentioned two points earlier. Additionally, today I would like to inform you about the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, where approximately 2,250 square meters of additional storage space has been created and made available. No congestion of any kind has been reported at any port. For example, at Mundra Port, the total container handling capacity is around 400,000 TEUs, and the current occupancy is approximately 25%," the Additional Secretary said. (ANI)

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