Maritime

India's economic rise will be shaped 'at, from and by the sea': Navy chief

Emphasising the scale of global ocean-based commerce, the Navy chief noted that maritime trade has grown more than fivefold in recent decades, reaching 12.3 billion tonnes in 2023

₹25k crore borrowing limit approved for India's first maritime NBFC

₹8,000 crore earmarked to be raised for FY25, SMFCL to mobilise funds through leading banks, financial institutions and bond issuances

Indian Coast Guard seizes 3 Bangladeshi boats, 79 crew for illegal fishing

All three boats and their crew members were handed over to the West Bengal Marine Police in Frazerganj for further legal action

India to host maritime information sharing workshop from November 3-5

Maritime security practitioners from 30 countries are set to assemble in India from November 3-5 as part of a key event that catalyses coordinated responses to transnational maritime threats such as piracy, drug smuggling and other incidents disrupting global maritime commerce. The Gurugram-based Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) will host the third edition of the Maritime Information Sharing Workshop (MISW) from November 3-5, officials said on Saturday. The workshop is a high-fidelity table-top exercise, simulating real-world maritime threats and fostering syndicate-based contingency planning, they said. The delegates will engage in collaborative response frameworks, reinforcing the value of shared situational awareness and coordinated action, the Indian Navy said in a statement. With the theme 'Enhancing Real-Time Coordination and Information Sharing Across the Indian Ocean Region', the MISW 2025 is poised to be a pivotal international platform dedicated to

India to be steady lighthouse for global rough seas: PM Narendra Modi

Calls on global shipping cos to invest and expand in India

Goa should set up maritime board to guide sector development: CII

Goa should set up a maritime board to guide sector development, promote green technologies, and foster public-private partnerships for infrastructure and Research and Development, CII said in a report released on Friday. The report titled "India Shipbuilding Roadmap Towards Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047" said that Goa holds the leading position in India's commercial shipbuilding sector, contributing approximately 40 per cent to the nation's total commercial vessel deliveries as of September 2025. Goa's shipbuilding industry, valued at Rs 22,865 crore in FY24, has the potential to grow to Rs 64,058 crore by FY37, contributing nearly 11 per cent to Goa's GSDP. With 3,000 direct and 18,000 plus indirect jobs, the sector is a critical pillar of Goa's industrial economy. The report suggests the state should have a maritime board which will give single-window system for clearances, licences and permits for maritime projects processed centrally. The board will also work for shipbuilding

Nations meet to consider regulations to drive green transition in shipping

The world's largest maritime nations are gathering in London on Tuesday to consider adopting regulations that would move the shipping industry away from fossil fuels to slash emissions. If the deal is adopted, this will be the first time a global fee is imposed on planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions. Most ships today run on heavy fuel oil that releases carbon dioxide and other pollutants as it's burned. Nations are meeting at the International Maritime Organization headquarters through Friday. The Trump administration unequivocally rejects the proposal and has threatened to retaliate if nations support it, setting the stage for a fight over the climate deal. In April, IMO member states agreed on the contents of the regulatory framework. The aim is to adopt it at this meeting. That would be a major win for the climate, public health, the ocean and marine life, said Delaine McCullough at the Ocean Conservancy. For too long, ships have run on crude, dirty oil, she said. This ...

27 MoUs worth over ₹66,000 crore signed to boost India's maritime sector

A MoU Exchange Ceremony took place on the eve of the "Samudra Se Samriddhi - Transforming India's Maritime Sector" programme on September 19 at Bhavnagar, Gujarat.According to the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways' release, this event was addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which a number of projects pertaining to the maritime sector were launched.The MOUs were signed on September 18th in the presence of Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Labour & Employment, Youth Affairs & Sports, and Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.Additionally, twenty-seven Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) were exchanged between public and private sector stakeholders in the maritime sector, state governments, and international partners. According to the government, these agreements carry an investment and development potential of over ₹66,000 crore and represent a ...

Cabinet clears ₹69,725 cr package to boost shipbuilding, maritime sector

Union Cabinet approves ₹69,725 crore maritime reforms package to build shipyards, expand clusters, provide long-term funding and strengthen India's shipbuilding capacity

PM Narendra Modi to launch maritime initiative in Gujarat on Saturday

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will unveil a series of shipping and shipbuilding projects in Gujarat, with investments exceeding Rs 66,000 crore and multiple public sector MoUs

India reaches out to 100 nations for ₹10 trillion shipping investment

According to a presentation made by the shipping ministry, 25 global CEOs and around 10 regional business leaders will meet the Prime Minister in October

Sonowal outlines $1 trillion maritime growth roadmap at Ambassadors' meet

Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday urged global partners to view India as a hub for investment and innovation, highlighting the government's USD 1 trillion maritime investment roadmap. He was speaking at the Ambassadors' Roundtable Meet organised by the Shipping Ministry as a precursor to the forthcoming India Maritime Week (IMW) 2025, scheduled to be held in Mumbai next month. "India's maritime journey is entering a new chapter...our ports, shipping and logistics ecosystem is becoming more resilient, sustainable and future-ready," the Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways minister told the gathering. Underlining opportunities in India's maritime sector, Sonowal said, "We are working to transform our ports, shipping, and logistics ecosystem into one that is resilient, sustainable, and future-ready, and this opens vast avenues for international collaboration". "These opportunities open up a 1 trillion US dollars maritime investment roadmap, with strong potential for joi

Titagarh Rail Systems bags record ₹467 cr coastal vessel order from GRSE

Titagarh Rail Systems Ltd (TRSL) on Friday said its Shipbuilding and Maritime Systems Division has secured its largest-ever order valued at Rs 467.25 crore from Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE). The order pertains to the construction and delivery of two Coastal Research Vessels (CRVs) for the Geological Survey of India. The CRVs will be equipped to conduct seabed geology studies, mineral exploration, ocean environment monitoring and long-duration scientific research, bolstering India's maritime research infrastructure, according to a statement. TRSL had earlier delivered specialised vessels, including CRVs for the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), it said. The company has also executed projects such as ICGS Kamla Devi (FPV) and MV Ma Lisha (Cargo RoPax) for Guyana. It has delivered over 35 vessels so far, and continues to build on its maritime systems expertise, the statement said. The company had recently announced that it will incorporate a wholly-owned

India, Saudi Arabia set up joint group to boost maritime cooperation

India and Saudi Arabia have agreed to deepen bilateral maritime relations, an official statement said on Wednesday. Both countries have formed a Joint Working Group (JWG) on maritime cooperation in the shipping and logistics sectors, marking a new chapter in the strategic partnership, the statement said. This decision was taken during a high-level virtual meeting between Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and Saudi Arabia's Minister of Transport and Logistic Services Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. According to the statement, Sonowal underscored the historic and growing relationship between the two nations. India and Saudi Arabia share centuries-old economic and socio-cultural ties, he said. The establishment of the strategic partnership council, co-chaired by the leaders of both countries, has elevated bilateral cooperation to new heights. Sonowal pointed to recent developments, including the launch of the JeddahMundra/Nhava Sheva route by Saudi Arabia

Govt raises Maritime Development Fund to ₹70,000 cr to spur shipbuilding

Centre raises Maritime Development Fund to ₹70,000 crore to boost shipbuilding, repair, shipping tonnage, and port infrastructure; Cabinet approval awaited

Navies of India, Singapore conclude maritime bilateral exercise SIMBEX

The Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) and the Indian Navy have completed their annual Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX) that was held from July 28 to August 1. This year's exercise comprised a shore phase held at RSS Singapura-Changi Naval Base, followed by a sea phase held in the southern reaches of the South China Sea. The sea phase involved ships from both navies and aircraft from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), the Defence Ministry here said. The RSN deployed a Formidable-class frigate, RSS Supreme, and a Victory-class missile corvette, RSS Vigilance, supported by MV Mentor. The Indian Navy participated with a Shivalik-class frigate, INS Satpura. An S70B naval helicopter, two Fokker-50 maritime patrol aircraft and two F-15SG fighter aircraft from the RSAF also participated in the exercise. During the shore phase, both navies participated in joint planning, simulator training, professional exchanges and sports. At the Subject Matter Expert Exchanges,

India, Japan explore maritime, regional ties in Indo-Pacific region

India and Japan continued to deepen their partnership on maritime connectivity and regional cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region during a seminar titled "IPOIAmbassador of India to Japan, Sibi George, delivered the inaugural remarks at the event, which featured special addresses by Japan's former Defence Minister and MP H.E. Mr. Minoru Kihara, India's Secretary (East) H.E. Mr. P. Kumaran, and H.E. Mr. Shingo Miyamoto, Director General at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The discussions focused on strengthening India-Japan cooperation on maritime linkages across the Indo-Pacific region.The Indian Embassy later shared highlights of the event in a post on social media platform X, "Glimpses of a seminar on "IPOI: India-Japan Partnership in Maritime Connectivity" held at the Embassy. Ambassador @AmbSibiGeorge delivered the inaugural remarks at the event, which also featured special remarks by H.E. Mr. Minoru Kihara, Hon'ble MP & former Defence Minister, H.E. Mr. P. ...

13th high-level meeting between coast guards of India, Korea held in Delhi

Top officers from the Indian and Korean coast guard forces held a key meeting in Delhi on Monday, seeking to boost cooperation in maritime law enforcement, search and rescue and pollution response. The defence ministry said this in a statement. "Both sides engaged in discussions to boost cooperation in Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR), Pollution Response (PR), and Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE), while reaffirming their commitment to share best practices and enhance interoperability under the 2006 MoU, it said. This was the 13th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Korea Coast Guard (KCG) in Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Paramesh Sivamani, Director General, ICG, and KIM Yong Jin, Commissioner General, KCG, who is currently leading a five-member delegation on an official visit to India from July 20-24, the ministry said. As part of the visit, the KCG delegation will travel to Mumbai from July 23-24 for an industrial visit to Mazagon Dock ...

India seeks re-election to IMO Council, highlights maritime growth plans

India has presented its candidature for re-election to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council at the organisation's 134th session in London, where the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways highlighted key aspects of maritime safety and gender inclusivity. At a special India-themed reception at the IMO Headquarters on Thursday evening, Ministry Secretary T K Ramachandran and Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami announced the decision to seek re-election in Category B of the Council. The election for the 2025-26 biennium will take place at the organisation's Assembly later this year and follows India's re-election with the highest tally back in December 2023. India embraces the philosophy of One Earth, One Family, One Future, and we bring this vision to life through fostering robust and collaborative maritime efforts, said Ramachandran in his address at the reception. Under our Vision 2047, we see maritime growth as a corner of global progress, and

Govt proposes mandatory towing vessel at all ports for emergencies

Against the backdrop of recent shipping disasters, the Directorate General of Shipping has proposed to make it mandatory for all Indian ports, whether major or non-major, handling 10 million metric tonnes (MMT) or more of cargo annually to designate at least one tug or towing vessel for emergency response. India has witnessed serious maritime incidents along its coastline that exposed vulnerabilities in the current emergency response framework. The sinking of container ship MSC ELSA 3 in May 2025 and major fire and explosion of container ship WAN HAI 503 in June 2025, off the coast of Kerala, led to falling of several containers in waters and the release of hazardous cargo and significant environmental risk. "In view of the challenges and urgent need enumerated above and to meet the requirements of Central/State/District/Port Disaster Management, the Directorate General of Shipping hereby mandates that all Indian portswhether Major or Non-major, Public or Privatehandling 10 million