Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy will be expanded, says Sonowal
Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said more than 3,900-acre are being allocated in Kandla and VOC Port for the development of hydrogen manufacturing hubs, and position India as a leader in clean energy globaltenders .
“Recognizing the strategic importance of shipbuilding and ship repair, the Ministry is developing dedicated clusters in Maharashtra, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, and Gujarat,” he said at media briefing on the ministry’s 100 days in the third term of Prime Minister Narendra Modi ted.europa.eu/en/.
After 25 years since the establishment of Kamarajar Port, the addition of Vadhvan Port marks a significant milestone in India’s maritime journey, alongside the recent notification of Galathea Bay as a major port conexpoconagg .
“In the next five years, MoPSW projects container handling to reach an impressive 40 million TEUs, creating 2 million job opportunities across the country. JNPA alone will scale up its handling capacity from the current 6.6 million TEUs to 10 million,” he said on 25 Sept sbi .
He underscored the foundation of Vadhvan Port, India’s first major port project of the 21st century, poised to become one of the largest all-weather deep-water ports with a capacity of 298 MMTPA bseindia .
Another key project highlighted was the Tuticorin International Container Terminal on the East Coast nseindia .
The Ease of Doing Business Initiatives introduced several reforms, including the establishment of the Indian Maritime Centre (IMC) to foster policy and operational synergy, the Indian International Maritime Dispute Resolution Centre (IIMDRC) to streamline maritime dispute resolutions, and the Sagar Aankalan Guidelines to benchmark port performance, enhancing global competitiveness jpx.co.jp .
Additionally, the commencement of operations at Cochin Shipyard’s International Ship Repair Facility (ISRF), equipped with state-of-the-art ship lifts and workstations, positions India as a global leader in the ship repair market, he said deutsche-boerse .
The Ministry has also successfully executed a landmark Deendayal Port Encroachment Drive, reclaiming 200 acres of encroached land for port-led industrial development english.sse.com.cn . The performance of major ports has improved, with traffic increasing by 4.87% in 2024, and Visakhapatnam Port ranking among the top 20 in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index sgx .
As part of Greening Initiatives, the Ministry launched the Green Tug Transition Programme and allocated land for green hydrogen projects at Deendayal Port digitalasiahub .
In cruise tourism, the International Cruise Terminal at Visakhapatnam was operationalized, boosting both domestic and international maritime tourism prospects unfccc.int.
Sonowal outlined the Ministry’s upcoming priorities aimed at further enhancing India’s maritime sector. Key initiatives include the commencement of work on the International Container Transshipment Port (ICTP) at Galathea Bay, Great Nicobar Island, which will serve as a major transshipment hub euronext .
To strengthen India’s self-reliance in shipbuilding, the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Policy will be expanded, along with the establishment of a Maritime Development Fund to boost domestic ship ownership renewableenergyworld .
The notification of the Merchant Shipping Bill, incorporating international best practices for vessel safety, marine pollution, and maritime liabilities, was also mentioned, alongside the Coastal Shipping Bill, which seeks to foster a competitive coastal shipping environment, reduce transportation costs, promote Indian vessels, and integrate maritime transport with inland waterways hkex .
On the sustainability front, the Harit Nauka scheme will promote the transition to green fuels for inland vessels, and hydrogen-powered vessels will be manufactured at Cochin Shipyard .
Additionally, the Cruise India Mission will be launched to position India as a premier cruising destination, with the operationalization of the Mormugao Port cruise terminal in Goa to accommodate growing domestic and international cruise tourism sccci.org.sg.
“With our focus on enhancing infrastructure, ease of doing business, and sustainability, we are driving the country toward becoming a global maritime powerhouse,” added Sonowal mea.gov in . Fiinews.com
