Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, Waterways, and AYUSH, presented a visionary roadmap for India’s maritime sector during the 19th Maritime States Development Council meeting in Kevadia, Gujarat. Highlighting initiatives, Union Minister shared plans for a Bureau of Port Security, hydrogen hubs, and quadrupling port capacity under the Amrit Kaal Vision for Ports. He emphasized sustainable development and the country’s commitment to the Global Maritime India Summit 2023.
The summit aims to boost investment and facilitate collaboration within India’s maritime industry. Minister stressed the growing maritime stature, echoing the sector’s potential for economic and social growth.
What to study for prelims?
- Bureau of Port Security: A proposed entity for enhancing security across all ports in India, reflecting the government’s commitment to ensuring safety within the maritime sector.
- Hydrogen Hubs: A major focus on developing hydrogen hubs across Central and State Government ports to promote sustainable development and harness the potential of hydrogen as an energy source.
- Amrit Kaal Vision for Ports: An initiative aiming to quadruple India’s port capacity, with major and notified ports preparing their Port Master Plans for 2047. This ambitious vision underscores India’s commitment to maritime growth.
- Sagarmala Programme: A strategic initiative aimed at enhancing port capacity, connectivity, and operational efficiency, with a focus on lowering costs, improving turnaround times, and elevating the strategic importance of Indian ports.
- Global Maritime India Summit 2023: An upcoming event that brings together domestic and international stakeholders in the maritime sector to explore opportunities, address challenges, and promote investment. The summit is set to take place in October 2023.
- National Waterways: India’s focus on enhancing cargo movement on its National Waterways, with a target to achieve a substantial cargo movement of 500 MTPA by 2047, indicating a commitment to leveraging waterways for growth.
- Sagarmala Programme Implementation: Discussions focused on various development agendas, including the implementation of the Sagarmala Programme, National Maritime Heritage Complex, National Waterways, RoPax/Ferries, urban passenger waterways transportation, and port connectivity. Success stories and challenges were also addressed.
