Govt plans mega shipbuilding park across coastal states
NEW DELHI: The 20th Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) meeting in Goa concluded on Friday, marking a significant advancement for India’s maritime sector. The key outcome was the announcement of a major shipbuilding park spanning multiple states to foster greater efficiency and drive innovation in shipbuilding capabilities.
Over the two-day event, over 80 critical issues were resolved among the central government, states and Union territories. The issues included port infrastructure modernization, connectivity, security, statutory compliance, maritime tourism, navigation projects and sustainability.
Additionally, the MSDC addressed emerging challenges such as establishing places of refuge for distressed ships and enhancing port security with radioactive detection infrastructure, as well as improving working conditions for seafarers, including better shore leave access.
Discussions also covered the introduction of a state ranking framework and a port ranking system aimed at fostering competition and improving performance across India’s maritime sector. Chairing the meeting, Union minister of ports, shipping and waterways Sarbananda Sonowal emphasized the significance of its contribution. “MSDC has been instrumental in aligning policies and initiatives like Indian Ports Bill and Sagarmala programme. Its efforts over the past two decades have facilitated the growth of over 50 non-major ports, which handle over 50% of India’s annual cargo. As major ports approach saturation, these non-major ports will play a crucial role in the future of India’s maritime sector,” Sonowal said.
India’s maritime sector is witnessing unprecedented growth. Recently, the foundation stone for India’s 13th major port, valued at ₹76,220 crore, was laid at Maharashtra’s Vadhavan. Additionally, Galathea Bay in the Andaman and Nicobar islands was designated for developing a major port via ₹44,000 crore public-private partnership, aiming to capture transshipped cargo currently processed outside India, with phase I expected to be operational by 2029.
The Sagarmala programme, which was approved in 2015, involves 839 projects by 2035 with an estimated investment of ₹5.79 lakh crore. To date, 262 projects have been completed at a cost of about ₹1.40 lakh crore. Another 217 projects, valued at ₹1.65 lakh crore, are underway. These initiatives require coordination among Union ministries, state governments, major ports, and various other agencies.
Besides, to streamline maritime business, MSDC introduced the National Safety in Ports Committee app on the National Single Window System.