The shipping ministry is looking at appointing a consultant by the end of this month to revise the guidelines that determine rates fixed by the Tariff Authority of Major Ports at the 12 government-run ports in the country.

A senior official at the ministry said, "The existing provisions are set to lapse in March this year. The process of reviewing and revising the guidelines will take some time. The ministry is considering extending the existing guidelines till the revised ones are framed."

The recommendations forwarded by the consultant will be put up for discussions among trade bodies and port authorities.

The revised guidelines are expected to be in place by the first quarter of the next financial year (2010-11).