The government today said, cargo handling capacity in major ports has expanded during the twelfth plan from 696 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to 1065 MTPA. Replying to supplementaries in the Lok Sabha, Shipping minister Nitin Gadkari said various modernisation measures has enabled easy and smooth movement of goods at major ports. The minister said expansion and modernisation of major ports in the country is an on-going process.<br/><br/>In reply to another question, Mr Gadkari said his ministry has taken various steps to boost cruise shipping in the country which include developing terminals at some of the major ports. He said Gujarat government has informed that to boost shipping tourism in Dwarka sector, under its Tourism policy of 2015, it is promoting cruise terminals at Okha, Dwarka, Porbandar and Veraval.<br/><br/>Mr Gadkari said out of 106 newly declared National Waterways(NWs), 32 NWs are considered technically feasible so far. He also informed the House that construction of Slipway at Pandu in Assam on NW-2 which will be the first dry dock repair facility in the North Eastern region.