New Delhi, Dec 13 (NationPress) On Saturday, the Indian government announced its proactive engagement with various nations, multilateral organizations, and global maritime industry collaborators aimed at enhancing its ports, shipping, and maritime logistics infrastructure.

These collaborations encompass initiatives for port modernization, shipping infrastructure development, green shipping projects, digitization, and maritime skill enhancement, as detailed by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, in a written response to the Lok Sabha.

Significant partnerships include the India-Russia collaboration to investigate the Northern Sea Route, the Eastern Maritime Corridor, and training programs for Indian Seafarers in Polar Waters, along with the Indo-Danish Centre of Excellence in Green Shipping and the India-Singapore collaboration for a Green and Digital Shipping Corridor.

Moreover, the Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) in Gujarat has teamed up with the Port of Rotterdam to establish advanced and state-of-the-art supply-side facilities that include storage, handling, transportation, and dispatch capabilities for green hydrogen, green ammonia, and their derivatives at DPA, Kandla.

Additionally, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is permitted in India's port sector.

DP World from the UAE currently manages container terminals at various locations, including the Jawaharlal Nehru Port in Maharashtra, Cochin Port in Kerala, and Chennai Port in Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, DP World is developing a container terminal at Tuna Tekra, Deendayal Port in Gujarat, while PSA Singapore operates terminals at Jawaharlal Nehru Port as well, as informed by the minister.

The government is also collaborating with maritime nations such as Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Oman, among others, to explore potential partnership opportunities.

The 'India Maritime Week 2025', set to take place in Mumbai in October 2025, attracted participation from over 93 countries, involving more than 100,000 delegates and stakeholders.

Furthermore, the government has sanctioned a comprehensive package of Rs 69,725 crore aimed at revitalizing the nation's shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem.

This initiative employs a four-pillar strategy directed at developing a globally competitive, technologically advanced, and sustainable maritime sector, as stated by the minister.