June 25: India's largest port, the Mumbai Port Trust (MBPT) is entering its 125th year today. To commemorate the occasion, the board of trustees will meet at the Durbar Hall of the port trust building. The port was constituted on June 26 1873 under the chairmanship of Colonel JA Ballard.

The Bombay Port Trust Act was promulgated in 1873 with a board of trustees for the development and administration of the port.

At the first meeting of the board, a committee was constituted to consider development of the docks. Keeping pace with the requirement of maritime trade, Bombay Port became the premier port in the country handling all types of general cargo from grains to trains and cotton to ore. The growth and development of the port continued with the extension of the Indira Dock and upgradation of facilities.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.