Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, chaired a comprehensive review meeting with senior officials in New Delhi to assess the progress of coastal shipping — a sector the government has positioned as a cornerstone of India's multimodal logistics strategy.

Context

In his post, Minister Sonowal cited cargo throughput at Indian ports surging by 120% over the last 12 years, reflecting a compound annual growth rate of approximately 9.2% since 2021. He attributed the momentum to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, framing coastal shipping as a pillar of a broader maritime transformation underway in India.

The meeting's agenda covered dedicated berthing facilities, stronger rail-port integration, development of specialised cargo complexes, improved vessel certification standards, and a roadmap to address bottlenecks across the logistics value chain.

Policy Backdrop

The review sits within a layered policy architecture built over the past decade. The Sagarmala Project, launched in 2015, laid the foundation for port-led development and coastal shipping promotion. The Maritime India Vision 2030, released in 2021, set targets for expanding port capacity and growing coastal cargo's share of total freight movement.

The National Logistics Policy, notified in 2022, added a cross-sectoral dimension by targeting a reduction in India's logistics costs through deeper multimodal integration — linking ports, rail, road, and inland waterways into a unified freight network. The Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, the most recent framework, aligns these ambitions with India's centenary of independence, aiming for a modern, efficient, and commercially vibrant maritime ecosystem.

Coastal shipping has long been seen as an underutilised alternative to congested road freight corridors. Successive policy interventions have sought to shift bulk and container cargo to sea lanes, easing pressure on highways and reducing per-unit logistics costs for exporters and domestic shippers alike.

Stakeholders and Impact

Port operators, coastal shippers, and exporters stand to benefit most directly from the measures discussed. Dedicated berthing — a recurring demand from the shipping industry — would reduce vessel turnaround time and improve berth utilisation at major ports. Stronger rail-port integration addresses the 'last-mile' connectivity gap that has historically limited the competitiveness of coastal shipping against road transport.

Specialised cargo complexes, another focus of the meeting, would allow ports to handle project cargo, chemicals, and other non-standard freight more efficiently, opening new revenue streams for port trusts and private terminal operators. Improved vessel certification standards, meanwhile, are expected to raise safety benchmarks and potentially attract newer, more fuel-efficient tonnage to Indian coastal routes.

What's Next

The ministry is expected to translate the meeting's discussions into project tenders for dedicated berths and rail-port connectivity works at select major ports. Any new legislative proposals on vessel certification or coastal-shipping regulation could come up for parliamentary consideration in subsequent sessions.

With the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 providing the long-term compass, the government's near-term challenge is converting high-level targets into time-bound, fundable projects. The pace at which dedicated berth allocations and rail-port integration works are tendered will serve as the clearest indicator of how quickly the sector's growth trajectory can be further accelerated.