**Executive Summary**
This document summarises the Government of India's response to Unstarred Question No. 2132 concerning global partnerships in the shipping sector, answered on December 12, 2025. The response details government initiatives to engage with foreign entities, modernize port legislation and maritime services, enhance maritime activities, and strengthen digitalization and green shipping. It covers ongoing collaborations, enacted legislation, and future plans.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **International Partnerships:**
* The government is actively engaging with foreign governments, multilateral organizations, and global maritime industry partners.
* Collaborations focus on port modernization, infrastructure development, green shipping, digitization, and skill development.
* Notable engagements include partnerships with Russia, Denmark, and Singapore.
* Deendayal Port Authority (Gujarat) collaborated with Port of Rotterdam.
* Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is allowed in the port sector.
* Various countries have been engaged via meetings and Memorandums of Understanding.
* India Maritime Week 2025 (Mumbai) had participation from over 93 countries.
* **Legislative Reforms:**
* The Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, aims to promote tonnage under the Indian flag.
* The Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, simplifies the licensing regime for coastal vessels.
* The Indian Ports Act, 2025, facilitates long-term planning and integrated port development.
* The Bills of Lading Act, 2025, and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025, eliminate outdated colonial-era laws.
* The Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021, and Inland Vessel Act, 2021, modernize inland water transport.
* The Major Port Authorities Act, 2021, enhances autonomy and private investment.
* **Technological and Operational Enhancements:**
* Projects undertaken to strengthen cargo handling, coastal shipping, cruise tourism, and fisheries.
* Rs 40,000+ crore invested to enhance the capacity and efficiency of Major Ports in the last ten years.
* **Digitalization and Green Shipping Initiatives:**
* Efforts focused on standardizing procedures and improving information exchange.
* The One Nation One Port Process (ONOP) initiative aims to standardize documentation and re-engineer operations.
* Initiatives like Maritime Single Window (Sagar Setu) and e-Samudra are strengthening IT systems.
* "Harit Sagar" Green Port guidelines provide a framework for reducing carbon footprint.
* Adoption of alternate fuels and integration of renewable energy.
* Three ports being developed as Green Hydrogen hub ports.
* The Green Tug Transition Programme outlines a shift to low-emission alternatives.
* Comprehensive package of ₹69,725 Crore to revitalize the country's shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem.
* National Shipbuilding Mission (NSbM) will serve as the nodal body for coordination, implementation, and monitoring of all initiatives.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Foreign Governments and Organizations**
* **Impact:** Increased collaboration opportunities in port modernization, infrastructure, green initiatives, digitization, and skill development.
* **Action Required:** Engage with the Indian government and industry representatives to explore and implement collaborative projects.
**Stakeholder: Port Authorities (e.g., Deendayal Port Authority)**
* **Impact:** Opportunities for modernization, technological advancement, and enhanced efficiency.
* **Action Required:** Implement new technologies, operational improvements, and sustainable practices to enhance capacity and reduce carbon footprint.
**Stakeholder: Shipping and Maritime Industry**
* **Impact:** Benefit from updated legislation, improved infrastructure, and digitalization initiatives.
* **Action Required:** Adapt to new regulations, adopt sustainable practices, and leverage digital platforms to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
**Stakeholder: Indian Economy**
* **Impact:** Enhanced maritime sector leading to increased trade, economic growth, and job creation.
* **Action Required:** Support the government's initiatives and capitalize on the growing opportunities in the maritime sector.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways: The primary ministry responsible for the matters discussed in the document, including port modernization, shipping infrastructure, and maritime logistics.
The Merchant Shipping Act, 2025: A key piece of legislation passed to promote tonnage under the Indian flag.
The Coastal Shipping Act, 2025: Legislation aimed at simplifying the licensing regime for coastal vessels.
The Indian Ports Act, 2025: Act focused on long-term planning and integrated development of ports.
National Shipbuilding Mission (NSbM): Nodal body for coordination, implementation, and monitoring of shipbuilding initiatives.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2132
ANSWERED ON 12.12.2025
GLOBAL PARTNERSHIPS IN SHIPPING SECTOR
2132. SHRI MANOJ TIWARI:
SHRI VIJAY BAGHEL:
SHRI CHAVDA VINOD LAKHAMSHI:
SHRI TATKARE SUNIL DATTATREY:
SHRI CAPTAIN BRIJESH CHOWTA:
SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM:
SHRI RAO RAJENDRA SINGH:
SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:
Will the Minister of PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS be pleased to state:
प(cid:517)न, पोत प(cid:303)रवहन और जलमाग(cid:330) मं(cid:361)ी
(a) whether the Government has engaged with foreign Governments or industry
representatives to explore international partnerships in ports, shipping and maritime
logistics and if so, the details thereof, State-wise and port-wise;
(b) the reforms undertaken to modernize India's port legislation, maritime services
and sectoral governance and the extent to which they have been implemented, State-
wise and port-wise;
(c) whether the Government has proposed any technological, operational or
capacity-enhancing improvements specially aimed at strengthening maritime activities
like cargo handling, coastal shipping, cruise tourism and fisheries-related activities and
if so, the details thereof, State-wise and ports-wise; and
(d) the steps taken to strengthen digitalization, green shipping and maritime
innovation across ports and waterways?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF PORTS, SHIPPING AND WATERWAYS
(SHRI SARBANANDA SONOWAL)
(a) Yes, the Government has been actively engaging with foreign Governments,
multilateral organisations and global maritime industry partners for collaboration in
ports, shipping and maritime logistics. These include partnerships for port
modernisation, development of shipping infrastructure, green shipping initiatives,
digitization and maritime skill development.Notable recent engagements include India- Russia partnership to explore
Northern Sea Route, Eastern Maritime Corridor & training of Indian Seafarers in Polar
Waters, Indo-Danish Centre of Excellence in Green Shipping and India-Singapore
partnership for Green & Digital Shipping Corridor. Further, Deendayal Port Authority
(DPA) in the state of Gujarat has collaborated with Port of Rotterdam for setting up
technically advanced, state of the art supply side facilities including storage, handling,
transportation and dispatch facilities for green hydrogen/green ammonia and
derivatives at DPA, Kandla.
Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is also allowed in port sector in India. DP World,
UAE currently operates container terminals at various location such as Jawaharlal
Nehru Port in Maharashtra, Cochin Port in Kerala, Chennai Port in Tamil Nadu. Further,
DP World is also developing a container terminal at Tuna Tekra, Deendayal Port in
state of Gujarat. Similarly, PSA Singapore operates terminals at Jawaharlal Nehru Port
in Maharashtra.
The Government, through Joint Working Group meetings/bilateral meetings and
Memorandum of Understanding/ letter of Intent etc. has engaged with maritime
countries like Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, South Korea, Singapore, Japan,
Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Oman etc. to explore avenues for possible
collaboration. India Maritime Week 2025, which was organised in Mumbai from 27–31
October 2025, elicited participation from over 93 countries, and involved more than
100,000 delegates and stakeholders.
(b) to (d) Key legislations that have been passed recently include:
The Merchant Shipping Act, 2025, to promote tonnage under the Indian
flag
The Coastal Shipping Act, 2025, to simplify license regime for coastal
vessels
The Indian Ports Act, 2025, for long-term planning & integrated
development of ports
The Bills of Lading Act, 2025 and the Carriage of Goods by Sea Act, 2025
to eliminate outdated colonial-era laws
The Marine Aids to Navigation Act, 2021, and Inland Vessel Act, 2021,
modernizing inland water transport, replacing outdated legislation to
enhance safety, efficiency, and environmental protection
The Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 to enhance autonomy, provide greater
flexibility, and attract private investment, replaced the Major Port Trust Act,
1963.
Various projects have been undertaken for technological, operational or
capacity enhancement to strengthen the cargo handling at ports, coastal shipping,
cruise tourism and fisheries etc. Projects worth more than Rs 40,000 crores to
enhance the capacity and efficiency of Major Ports have been completed in the last
ten years.Further, to strengthen digitalization, green shipping and maritime innovation
across ports and waterways, several initiatives have been/are being undertaken as
follows:
Digitalization efforts across ports and waterways are focused on standardizing
procedures, reducing manual interventions, and improving information exchange
between stakeholders. The One Nation One Port Process (ONOP) initiative is being
undertaken to standardize documentation processes and re-engineer operational
steps to lower transaction volumes and reduce cargo processing times. Other
initiatives such as, the Maritime Single Window (Sagar Setu), e-Samudra, e-Pariksha,
and Jalyan & Navic are strengthening IT systems, to increase operational efficiency in
maritime sector.
Measures are being undertaken to support environmental objectives in
maritime sector. “Harit Sagar” Green Port guidelines, launched in 2023 provide a
framework to Indian ports for reducing carbon footprint. Other measures include
adoption of alternate fuels, low/zero-emission equipment, and integration of renewable
energy. Three ports are being developed as Green Hydrogen hub ports, and the Green
Tug Transition Programme outlines a phased shift from conventional tug vessels to
low-emission alternatives.
Further, the Government of India, approved a comprehensive package of
₹69,725 Crore to revitalize the country’s shipbuilding and maritime ecosystem. The
initiative adopts a four-pillar approach aimed at developing a globally competitive,
technologically advanced, and sustainable maritime sector. These include
Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme (SBFAS), Maritime Development Fund
(MDF), Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS) and policy, technology, and
institutional reforms. National Shipbuilding Mission (NSbM) will serve as the nodal
body for coordination, implementation, and monitoring of all initiatives under this
framework.
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