Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL) marked its golden jubilee in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, with senior officials and ministers attending to mark five decades of operations. The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said that the organisation had been instrumental in ensuring efficient port operations and supporting cargo movement, contributing to maritime sector growth. The Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur said that DCIL’s work had supported infrastructure development and the aim of a self-reliant maritime nation.

Vijay Kumar, Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, noted that DCIL was exploring submarine cable trenching, offshore wind energy support and inland waterways development to shape future growth. M Angamuthu, Chairman of DCIL and Vizag Port Authority, outlined a 2047 vision for DCIL to be a globally recognised leader in dredging services aligned with national aspirations. CEO S Divakar set an expansion and modernisation roadmap and established a growth target of Rs 30 bn.

The company said it undertakes 80 per cent of India’s maintenance dredging, handling about 120 mn cubic metres out of a total 150 mn cubic metres, a role essential to keeping ports operational and supply chains smooth across the country. DCIL is engaged in maintenance and capital dredging at major ports including Visakhapatnam, Haldia, Kandla, Kochi, Paradip, Chennai and the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority in Navi Mumbai. The operations were presented as underpinning cargo movement and supporting the steady expansion of the blue economy.

The corporation recorded steady fiscal growth, with revenues rising from Rs 2 bn in its early years to Rs 11.48 bn in the last financial year, reflecting an expanding portfolio and growing market share. The golden jubilee celebrations brought employees and stakeholders together to commemorate five decades of service and to outline future priorities. Visakhapatnam Port Authority Deputy Chairperson Roshni Aparanji K attended, underscoring the collaborative nature of port and maritime development.