Union Shipping Minister unveils 5 plans for India's maritime leadership

Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), announced a series of five major initiatives aimed at establishing India as a global leader in the maritime sector. These initiatives, referred to as 'Panch Karma Sankalp' by the Minister, were unveiled at the conclusion of the Ministry's second Chintan Shivir held in Munnar. A government statement provided details about the initiatives.

The 'Panch Karma Sankalp' encompasses several key measures. Firstly, the Ministry will offer 30% financial support to promote green shipping. Additionally, the Ministry plans to procure two tugs each for the Jawaharlal Nehru, VO Chidambaranar, Paradip, and Deendayal ports as part of the green tug transition program. Furthermore, the Ministry intends to establish hydrogen hubs at selected ports.

The statement quoted Sonowal as saying, "Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we affirm our commitment to making a solid attempt at green shipping and digitising operations for maximum efficiency, with the aim of becoming a world leader in the maritime sector."

The remaining two initiatives outlined in the statement involve the creation of a single window portal to facilitate and monitor river and sea cruises and the transformation of Jawaharlal Nehru, VO Chidambaranar, and Tuticorin into smart ports by the following year.

Following the conclusion of the Chintan Shivir, the Minister expressed his belief that these initiatives would contribute to achieving sustainable development in the maritime sector. He stated, "By implementing the sustainable element in a robust manner, we aim to achieve transformational transportation that is effective, efficient, and energetic."

Furthermore, the Minister emphasised that he would review the progress towards these targets during a mid-year Chintan Shivir in a few months' time. The statement highlighted his warning of strict action in case of any project delays.

The statement also mentioned that the Chintan Shivir involved extensive analysis and discussions on improving port administration, standardisation, cargo handling in major ports, and enhancing cargo, VGF (Viability Gap Funding), and PPP (Public-Private Partnership) in inland waterways and coastal shipping.

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