Experts point out several factors that impede coastal shipping in Kerala. Coastal shipping has got several advantages and is one of the cheapest modes of transportation.
Poor infrastructure, high labour charge for cargo handling and unavailability of vessels act as hurdles to coastal shipping in the state despite incentives declared for the sector.
For transporting cargo weighing 10,000 tonne from Beypore to Mangalore port, for covering a distance of around 210 kilometre - the ship owner or agent will get Rs 21 lakh as incentive in addition to the payment he gets for transporting the cargo as per the declared incentive.