Speaking ahead of India Maritime Week 2025, scheduled from October 27-31, Sonowal said India was committed to building a resilient, sustainable and future-ready maritime ecosystem, unlocking vast avenues for international collaboration. With India entering a new chapter in its maritime journey, the global community must prepare to engage with the significant investment opportunities now emerging,...
Category: Ports & Shipping
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India May Launch Dedicated Maritime Satellite to Boost Coastal Governance: Sonowal
The proposed system would offer exclusive coverage of India’s coastal waters, inland waterways, and port regions. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday announced that the ministry is exploring the launch of a dedicated satellite or acquisition of a transponder to enhance India’s maritime surveillance, port operations, and coastal governance. Speaking...
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IHCL to redevelop historic Chotelal Ki Ghat in Kolkata under heritage-led riverfront initiative
IHCL will invest up to ₹50 million in restoring, beautifying, and landscaping the 19th-century heritage landmark on Kolkata’s River Hooghly. Indian Hotels Company (IHCL), India’s largest hospitality group, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata, to redevelop Chotelal Ki Ghat, a Grade I heritage site along the River Hooghly....
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India’s Maritime Framework Gets Legislative Boost with Coastal Shipping Bill Passage
With the passage of the Coastal Shipping Bill, India has cleared all key maritime reforms needed to revitalise its ports and shipping sector, marking a decisive step toward reclaiming its historical stature in global trade. The 2025 Monsoon Session of Parliament will go down as the most memorable for India’s maritime sector. Across two consecutive...
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India Modernises Maritime Laws with Merchant Shipping and Sea Cargo Bills Passed by Parliament
The approval of two bills advances the country’s legislative intent to align its shipping laws with global standards. India’s shipping sector received a major legislative boost on Wednesday as Parliament passed two landmark bills introduced by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2025 and the Carriage of Goods by Sea...
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SDHI to Manufacture Varex Cargo Inspection Systems in India
SDHI will exclusively produce Varex’s high-energy imaging systems at its Pipavav facility in Gujarat, supporting cargo inspections across India’s land and maritime gateways. Swan Defence and Heavy Industries (SDHI), a leading shipbuilding and heavy fabrication company, has signed an agreement with US-based Varex Imaging Corp. to manufacture advanced cargo and vehicle inspection systems in India....
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Kandla Port Achieves Major Sustainability Milestone with Megawatt-Scale Green Hydrogen Plant Launch
Generating 140 metric tonnes of green hydrogen annually, the plant sets the pace for sustainable operations and maritime decarbonisation across India. In a major boost to India’s efforts to develop a robust green hydrogen ecosystem, the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) has successfully launched a 1 MW green hydrogen power plant within four months of Prime...
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India’s Ports Surge in Efficiency, Investment: Union Minister Sonowal
Delivering the keynote address at the Maritime Financing Summit in New Delhi, Sonowal underscored the maritime sector’s vital role in realising the vision of a developed India by 2047. India’s ports sector is undergoing a remarkable transformation, with marked improvements in turnaround time, port capacity, investment inflows, and customs clearance, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping...
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India’s Rajya Sabha Passes Bills of Lading, 2025: A Landmark Maritime Reform
Once enacted, it will replace the 169-year-old colonial-era Indian Bills of Lading Act, 1856, establishing a simplified and globally aligned legal framework for maritime shipping documentation in India. In a significant boost to India’s ports and shipping sector, the Rajya Sabha passed the Bills of Lading, 2025, on the first day of its monsoon session...
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From Trade to Tourism, Sonowal Envisions a New Global Role for BIMSTEC
Inaugurating the two-day BIMSTEC Ports Conclave, Sarbananda Sonowal also announced the establishment of a Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre aimed at catalysing maritime policies, advancing digital and green transformation, and building the skills and capacity of the region’s maritime workforce. Given India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, BIMSTEC could serve as a powerful springboard to unlock the immense...