Maritime Matrix April 2023

Seaspan Realigns with Changing Market Conditions- Plans to buy another 100 Ships

“If you want to excel in your business and make your company growth-centric, make sure you pick the right people, the right time, and align your strategy constantly to the market conditions; and together they will do the magic for you,” says Torsten Holst Pedersen, COO of Vancouver based Seaspan Corporation, who was recently in Mumbai to meet with his Indian counterparts.

Employing over 5,200 seafarers from its offices in Hong Kong, Vancouver, and India, Seaspan with its fleet of 140 vessels, plans to have over 200 fully delivered vessels with a capacity of 2 million TEU, over the next 2 years.

Pedersen was appointed Chief Operating Officer in June 2020. “We have grown considerably since, and we have now been realigning our future strategy by going from a listed company to private.

“As the world’s largest independent charterer-owner and manager of containerships, we are a truly global operation,” informed Pederson.

“However with changing times one needs to change as well,” maintains Pederson. With the financial markets nose-diving, the shares are under-valued. The company now looks to realign itself

Padmesh Prabhune & Kamal Chadha

Mr Torsten Holst Pedersen

and has decided to go private. Effective March 29, 2023 Atlas Corporation holding company of Seaspan Corporation delists and will be owned by private investors including Ocean Network Express (ONE)

The company has been serving many of the world’s major shipping lines with alternatives to vessel ownership by offering long-term leases on large, modern containerships combined with industryleading ship management services.

Talking about the investment and expansion plans, Pederson maintains that the company has a clear focus to excel upside, and already has a system in place; be it investments, supply chain module, or the environment regulations, they are well set.

The newer Seaspan vessels have dual fuel systems and Seaspan’s emissions performance is influenced by vessel design, travel speed, trade route, cargo carried, continuous efficiency updates, and vessel modifications developed through its asset development program.

As a leader in the maritime industry, Seaspan recognizes that a sustainable business model must be founded on strong and consistent policies & principles to protect the global environment.

Pederson believes: “You might be an expert providing the best services, but then you have to be economical as well, else being expensive serves no purpose.

“Through technological advances and customer & industry partnerships, we are doing our part in controlling emissions, managing waste, and preserving local biodiversity. “

BUT THE SEASPAN CULTURE IS KING

Moving to shipboard staffing, Seaspan has been firm in its belief of maintaining a system of ensuring ‘Ethnic Diversity’ on board across its fleets. Though

Indian Officers seafarers amount to roughly 40 percent of the total workforce, the complete Seaspan workforce includes Europeans, Chinese, Filipinos, Ukrainians, and Sri Lankans as well.

However, Pederson takes pride in the ‘Seaspan Culture’, which he expects everyone to follow. “There is no crew designed system or styles of working for us. Operational excellence seems to be a vague term but then we adhere to the Seaspan Culture, having crews with diverse cultures following ‘safety first’, based on rules and checklist-driven modules.

“We don’t hire people based on ethnicity. We hire smart people.”

He elaborates: “It’s about bringing people together from a diverse set of backgrounds and cultures, then creating an environment that not only recognizes the differences between those cultures and backgrounds, but celebrates them. This helps create space for people to apply themselves, and then turn them in to the best leaders.” With an average seafarer retention rate upwards of 96 percent, Seaspan sure has a point to make.

Seaspan’s leadership is responsible for the overall direction and management of the company’s affairs. They act honestly, and in good faith, with a view to the company’s best interests. They have an excellent cadet induction program as well, that takes care of gender equality too.

Ask Pederson why anyone should join Seaspan and he is quick to respond: “We are Safe, Reliable and Economical. Working at Seaspan is more than just a job; it’s a shipping career.

He adds, “At Seaspan, we’ve developed a workplace where every challenge is seen as an opportunity. We share success together, we support one another, and we embrace diversity and culture. We strive to improve every day.

“Working with us means working in an environment where your professional and personal growth is of the highest priority.”

Joining the Seaspan family means being an integral part of a challenging and exciting environment where your contributions are valued and rewarded.

Mr Pedersen with Capt Manoj Gandhi (L) and Capt Dinesh Jairam (R)

ONE Friendship sets sail on her maiden voyage

ONE Friendship, the second vessel of Seaspan’s new SAVER 15,000TEU series was delivered yesterday, 25 April and her title was subsequently registered with the Hong Kong Shipping Register.

The vessel is safely afloat and berthed at YAMIC Taicang Shipyard on the southern bank of the Yangzi River.

Today, 26th April the vessel sets sail on her maiden voyage under the command of Captain Nadadhur Ananth.

Wishing Seaspan Team on board all the very best on her maiden voyage.

- Delphine Estibeiro

SETTING A COURSE FOR THE FUTURE

Drone inspections offer safe, cost effective and efficient alternative to conventional inspection

Global Drone Inspection (GDI), the subsidiary of robotic inspection specialists RIMS BV, and Dubai based JOME Engineering have signed an agreement, whereby JOME will become a local service station partner for GDI. The agreement was signed in April at SeaAsia.

Under this cooperation, JOME will invest in drones, the training of pilots, and class audits. The aim of the agreement is that JOME will eventually carry out drone inspections under the flag of GDI in the United Emirates. This will extend the global reach of GDI’s inspection capabilities in line with the company’s strategy to extend its network of local service partners around the world.

“The benefits of drone inspections are rapidly being realised by the international community. This mature remote inspection technology offers a safe, cost-effective, and efficient alternative to conventional inspection protocols. We are delighted to have JOME onboard. We have established a

good relationship with them over the years and are confident that this agreement will be beneficial to both parties,” said David Knukkel, CEO at GDI.

“We recognise and appreciate GDI’s experience and know-how in this fast growing field,” commented Mr Mustafa Zaveri, Managing Director, Jome. “Drone inspections make a lot of sense, and we are excited at the potential for this technology in the United Emirates.”

GDI will carry out training sessions for JOME personnel using the company’s safety management system, which contains all the relevant procedures and operational requirements. This will include the use of simulators as well as physical training. Initially, inspections will be carried out by JOME under supervision by GDI, until such time that onsite supervision is no longer necessary.

David Knukkel, CEO of Global Drone Inspection (left), Sunny Rajan, Sales Director of JOME (centre), and Mustafa Zaveri, Managing Director of JOME (right) signing the contract at SeaAsia

Framo wins OTC Spotlight on New Technology award

operational efficiency of offshore installations, it also considerably helps to reduce their operating costs.”

“At OTC we take pride in recognizing the companies transforming the future of the offshore energy sector. The Spotlight on New Technology Award is one of the many ways we like to show our appreciation. Revolutionizing the field is no easy task. It requires collaboration, intense consistency, and the brightest minds in the industry to drive innovation. This year’s recipients exemplify these efforts and we are proud to acknowledge them”, said Paul Jones, chairperson, OTC Board of Directors.

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) has recognized Framo’s Submerged Turbine technology with its Spotlight on New Technology award. The award will be presented on May 1 at this year’s conference held in Houston, Texas. The Framo Submerged Turbine is designed to increase the efficiency of the cooling water system used on offshore installations by as much as 20 to 30 percent. It also lowers CO2 emissions created in the system by up to 3000 – 5000 tonnes per year.

On offshore installations, huge volumes of seawater are lifted from the sea to deck level for use as a cooling medium for onboard processing. The used seawater is then dumped back to the sea, meaning that substantial quantities of energy are left unexploited in the dumped seawater. The Framo Submerged Turbine generates electric power as the cooling water flows from the deck to the sea.

The unique feature of the turbine is the fact that it is submersible, enabling the full energy potential to be harnessed from the dumped water. In this application the additional static height can contribute to as much as 50-70 percent additional energy recovery compared to a topside mounted turbine.

Generated power from the turbine technology will contribute to the total power supply on the offshore facility, thereby reducing gas fuel consumption for power generation. By liberating gas that would usually be utilized for energy production onboard, the solution also contributes to better earnings potential via increased gas exports. This benefit is in addition to reducing CO2 emissions and operational costs. This technology is the first to reuse the unexploited energy in cooling systems on offshore installations.

“Stricter global environmental regulations and cost considerations are significantly affecting offshore operations,” commented Sigve Gjerstad, Director Offshore Pumping Systems at Framo. “This new technology not only increases the sustainability and

The Framo technology will deliver the greatest positive effect on offshore installations that require large amounts of cooling water for installations located in areas with higher water temperatures. Over the past decade, seawater cooling quantities have typically increased by a factor of more than two to three. This is due to larger offshore process facilities and combined cycle power generation modules. This emphasizes the significant potential Framo’s technology offers in regenerating power from waste cooling water.

The Framo Submerged Turbine is suitable for both new installations as well as for retrofitting to existing facilities. Its performance and efficiency have been verified through analytical calculations. Framo is an established world-leader in pump technology for the marine industry with a history dating back to 1938.

MMT

Indian Shipmanning Hit by Damning Report; Reacts

Remarks in a recent report titled, ‘Seafarers and Recruitment Fees Research Briefing, April 2023’, indict the Indian shipmanning industry in such alarmingly negative fashion:

“In India, there are no jobs for seafarers who don’t give a bribe - only money or help from relatives will get you onboard.” &

“Told me I’ll get a job...[if I] spend 3.3 lakhs for starting as a cadet in a ship”

This report that has got Indian shipmanning all agitated is compiled by the UK-based Institute for Human Rights and Business.

It uses data collected in a survey undertaken by online maritime recruitment platform TURTLE of the 85,000 seafarers on its books, between 22.09.2022 to 21.02.2023. The survey was designed by TURTLE in conjunction with the Maritime Anti-Corruption Network (MACN) and covers a range of worker related issues.

This briefing focuses on responses around the payment of recruitment fees to manning agents for jobs (or fake jobs). It was funded with assistance from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs.

Among the various types of corrupt practices reported, payment of fees to manning agencies for jobs notched up an alarming 61.4%.

Amongst the nations in the name & shame list, India and Nigeria appear at the top.

Reacting to the report, the 250,000 strong Indian Seafarer Industry has strongly rejected the claims that Indian Ship manning companies exploit seafarers by charging a Recruitment Fee, and are upset that a few instances are being used to tar the entire Indian industry with the same brush.

Responding to the critical statements sharply, the Maritime Association of Shipowners Shipmanagers and Agents (MASSA) Chairman, Capt Girish Phadnis, said, “We reject these claims outright. The allegations are malicious, baseless, without any facts or evidence, and are targeted towards the Indian maritime community.”

Whereas CEO of the Foreign Owners Representatives and Ship Managers Association (FOSMA), Capt Rajesh Tandon, in a reply said, “FOSMA unequivocally condemns these charges based on a very small sample used as data. Charging for jobs is

Padmesh Prabhune & Kamal Chadha

fundamentally an illegal practice, prohibited in law in India.

“The greater majority of the standard operators follow strict selection and entry procedures, monitoring the process at every stage. The Indian Maritime Administration too has provisions within their domain for reporting such violations, and prosecuting the offenders.”

Countering the statement further, Milind Kandalgaonkar, General Secretary-cum-Treasurer, National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI), noted “The statement ‘No job for seafarers without a bribe - only money or help from relatives will get you onboard’ is a false and unfair generalization.

“While there may be some unscrupulous agents and touts who dupe the innocent or ignorant, only to be prosecuted later, it is important to note that shipping companies in India have valid ‘Collective Bargaining Agreements’ and follow ethical hiring practices.”

Capt Xerxes Daji, Regional Director, Wallem Shipmanagement, said, “This is factually incorrect. I sailed for 17 years from Cadet to Master and never paid a bribe and was never asked to pay one. I have been working in various shipping companies since 2009 and never has my staff been involved in asking for money to join a vessel.”

Another point to be noted is that there is a severe shortage of officer ranks in India. So charging a ‘recruitment fee’ of any sort in that category at least can be completely ruled out.

The Indian maritime academia also came down heavily on the sweeping remarks, as all the maritime institutions have a placement cell in their respective colleges and Universities, with MoU’s with various

shipping companies for their campus recruitment.

“It is essential to understand that bribery and corruption in any form are illegal and unacceptable. The Indian Maritime community has been performing on par with their international counterparts and should not be singled out in this fashion.”

Meanwhile the former Director General of Shipping, Mr. Amitabh Kumar, remarked, “Of course there is corruption in the shipmanning industry, and it could possibly be as high as claimed in this IHRB report.

“But what we need to focus on is restricting the corrupt practices, if not removing them altogether, by digitalizing the recruitment and re-employment processes of seafarers.”

All agree however that these reports require to be treated seriously, investigated further, and local data collected to correctly identify the problem areas and arrive at effective permanent solutions.

Nevertheless, Indian Seafarers are often acknowledged globally to be one of the best, ranked high in demand on the back of a robust education system, enviable linguistic skills and offering one of the highest populations of the young & able.

Wärtsilä to deliver one of Australia’s largest energy storage projects

Technology group Wärtsilä has been selected by Origin Energy as the preferred contractor to deliver the first phase, 460 megawatts (MW) and 920 megawatt hours (MWh), of what will be one of Australia’s largest energy storage projects. The Eraring battery will be installed at Origin’s Eraring Power Station. Origin may elect to expand the battery to 700 MW and 2,800 MWh in the future. The companies have signed an engineered equipment delivery (EEQ) contract with a total value of slightly more than 300 MEUR, Wärtsilä’s largest single energy storage deal to-date. The order is expected to be booked latest in the third quarter (Q3) of 2023 and equipment delivery is expected to occur from October 2023 to September 2024.

The Eraring battery will be connected to Australia’s National Electricity Market (NEM) and support energy security and reliability in the state of New South Wales as the penetration of variable renewable energy supply increases. “With significant solar and wind resources, Australia is in a unique position to rapidly decarbonise its energy sector. Flexible capacity, provided by energy storage projects like Origin’s Eraring battery or grid balancing engines, will be vital to achieving that as the share of renewables increases. The scale of this project positions Wärtsilä at the heart of that trend, delivering gigawatt-scale energy storage projects in each of our key markets around the world,” said Håkan Agnevall, President and CEO, Wärtsilä.

“Eraring is a strategic site with high quality connection infrastructure enabling us to deliver energy into major demand centres. Development of the Eraring battery is a key next step as we look to transform the Eraring site for the future, given our intention to exit coalfired generation by as early as August 2025. We look forward to working with Wärtsilä and key contractors to deliver the Eraring battery safely and expeditiously,” said Greg Jarvis, Head of Energy Supply and Operations at Origin Energy.

Wärtsilä’s energy storage system (ESS) is designed with the potential to switch operation into grid-forming in the future, with the capability to supply a variety of system strength and system restart ancillary services. This will deliver stability and resilience for NEM as a higher proportion of renewable energy sources penetrate the grid, helping to facilitate Australia’s clean energy transition.

Wärtsilä was selected as the delivery partner due to its technical expertise as a leading battery storage integrator, proven delivery capability, market-leading safety standards and ability to support Origin with lifecycle services during the operational period.

Wärtsilä’s GEMS Digital Energy Platform is a critical aspect of the system, which monitors and controls the flow of energy, enabling these projects to provide grid support during periods of instability. With Wärtsilä’s Storage+ Solution, the projects will provide firming capacity to balance Origin’s generation portfolio in support of its retail customer load. The project includes Wärtsilä’s GridSolv Quantum, a fully-integrated modular and compact energy storage system that offers the lowest lifecycle costs, fastest deployment times, highest quality control and maximum flexibility. GridSolv Quantum is a certified UL-compliant design fitted with several safety features.

Wärtsilä is a leader in decarbonising the global power industry. The company integrates endto-end grid solutions that build resilient and intelligent energy infrastructures. Wärtsilä has established a strong footprint in Australia, with some major energy storage system and grid balancing engine projects in its reference portfolio.

MMT

Team Matrix

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Smaller islands on the radar of the major luxury cruise companies

Luxury cruise companies are turning their attention to smaller, off-the-beaten-path destinations, according to discussions at the 7th Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum, held in Thessaloniki, Greece. While mainstream ports of call will always have their place, the trend for unique experiences in lesser-known destinations is taking hold.

However, the inclusion of more exotic locales on luxury cruise itineraries is not without its challenges. Infrastructure readiness at smaller destinations can be a concern, as well as quality venue availability and berthing policies, as noted by several industry professionals.

Not every island can fulfil all needs due to various challenges according to Michele Bosco, Manager, Shore Excursions and Operations Europe, Africa, Middle East, Princess Cruises.

“Poor venue maintenance post Pandemic has led to reduced capacity at certain venues in smaller

destinations, which in turn leads to higher cost for guests, meaning that some of the challenges we are facing now have their roots at Covid. Certain venues have also closed down for business and others no longer want to collaborate with cruise companies as the global tourism rebound means that they are receiving stronger flows of independent tourists, reducing their reliance on groups coming from our ships,” he said.

The lack of venue availability is a concern also shared by Agnes Brochet, Director, Destination Research, Development & Planning, Silversea Cruises. “In small islands we will have lack of space for all our guests to secure a spot, when we are at full capacity, because we offer one free excursion at each of the destinations we are visiting, therefore demand for onshore excursion is strong, and that is one of our main land-side challenges.”

Berthing policy in Greece is also a cause for concern for the luxury cruise brands such as MSC’s Explora

brand. Sacha Rougier, Head of Itinerary Planning and Destination Experiences, Explora Journeys said. “Relooking at the berthing policy in Greece would help us solve a major challenge we are facing, as in some cases we fail to secure a slot even when we have had initial confirmation. This causes all sorts of issues for the company which we’d rather had avoided. Lack of transportation guides also pauses problems in certain destinations,” she said.

Brochet said that research is key before deciding to add new, lesser known destinations. “Before we zero in on a new destination we conduct comprehensive research. We then need to put all this in an idea-generating machine which involves everyone in our company through a virtual ideas box open to everyone, including crew members who visit so many places around the world. Even when our people go on a holiday in lesser known coastal destinations, they are encouraged to share their opinions and ideas about the appeal of these destinations with our destination department team for their assessment.

“We then develop business cases and when they look viable, we do the scouting leveraging our team of 100 people in the destination department who are sent onsite to survey and assess the destination,” she said.

In terms of what luxury cruise guests seek out of the secret gem destinations, unique human and sustainable experiences top the preferences list. “Going to homes of local people or spend time with a local chef are just

a couple of examples,” said Constantine Venetopoulos, Director, Communications & PR, Variety Cruises. “We have launched a product ‘Unexplored Greece’ visiting Ikaria and Amorgos and it is now our best seller. Our boats are for 50 guests, so we are niche and for us finding these places is basically finding what our guests want. It is also important to bear in mind the demographics of guests before tailoring certain experience-enhancing shore excursions.

It is important to be able to distinguish between what is popular and what is trendy added Bosco: “Smaller group tours are becoming more popular. Tours off-the-beatenpath such as food and drink walking tours in local non touristic venues, or culinary tours where the ship chef takes guests to the local market to select the fresh produce for their dinner or cooking together with them. Meet the family of the farm is also becoming trendy when it comes down to luxury cruising products.”

Luxury cruise guests are searching for the unique and the unexpected and few people would know that an actual desert exists in a Greek island, according to Olympia Anastasopoulou, General Secretary of Tourism Policy and Development, Ministry of Tourism, Hellenic Republic, who keynoted the second and final day of the Forum.

“Coastal and maritime tourism can be a powerful tool for the development of Greece’s national economy as it currently contributes 1.5% of the country’s GDP. Greece possesses the characteristics to make it one of the most

attractive destinations for Europe in sea tourism, ranking ninth in the world in terms of coastline length. But we also have mountains, lakes, rivers and even a desert in the Greek island of Limnos. This is why our potential to become a leading cruise destination is significant.”

Her optimism about the continuous growing contribution of the cruise sector to the Greek economy is echoed in the findings of a recent preliminary study conducted by Thanos Pallis, Professor, Department of Maritime Studies, University of Piraeus, who shared some insights with the PSTF 2023 delegates.

Titled ‘Assessment of the Socio-Economic Impact of the Cruise for Thessaloniki’ the research started in November 2022 and is expected to be completed next October 2023 to investigate the economic impact of the cruise activity both in the city of Thessaloniki, but also in the wider metropolitan area of the city.

Based on actual figures so far gathered between November 2022 and April 2023, the projected estimates for the financial contribution of the cruise sector in Thessaloniki on an annualised basis, indicates that the direct positive effects range between a basic scenarios of €5.23 million to a positive scenario of €6.49 million. There is also the indirect positive effects that range between €3.43 million for the base scenario and €4.33 million on the more optimistic projection. Combined, the positive effects are expected to range between €8.56 million for the base scenario and €10.82 million for the positive scenario.

In terms of employment impacts, this year’s cruise season, with a significant expected number of 68 cruise ship calls at the port of Thessaloniki, is estimated to result in sustaining 111 full-time jobs on an annual basis.

Among the most important findings of the research, is the satisfaction of cruise passengers, as reflected in the fact that 90.1% of passengers state that after their visit they are extremely to quite likely to recommend Thessaloniki as a tourist destination.

The 2023 PSTF is sponsored by Diamond Sponsor Thessaloniki Port Authority SA, Gold Sponsor Region of Central Macedonia, Silver Sponsor Piraeus Port Authority SA, Bronze Sponsors Celestyal Cruises, Global Ports Holding, Greek National Tourism Organisation, Heraklion Port Authority SA, Kyvernitis Travel and Thessaloniki Tourism Organisation. The official airline is SKY express. PSTF 2023 is supported by AVIS, Global Air Compass and Agora Modiano. The Forum is organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy and the Ministry of Tourism and supported by the Hellenic Chamber of Shipping, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the Association of Mediterranean Cruise Ports (MedCruise) and the Union of Cruise Ship Owners & Associated Members.

APM Terminals Pipavav to set up New Liquid Berth at an investment of US $ 90 million

APM Terminal Pipavav, one of the leading gateway ports located in western India, will set up a new liquid berth at the Port at an investment of around US $ 90 million. Currently, the port has the capacity to handle 2 MMT of liquid bulk. With the new berth, the liquid bulk handling capacity of the port will increase to 5.2 MMT.

The capex announced is in line with the port’s objective of contributing to the growth of India’s logistics infrastructure, bolstering connectivity to the northwest hinterlands, and better serve the customers by providing end-to-end solutions. The setting up of the new berth will be subject to necessary regulatory and other approvals.

Commenting on the new capex plan, Mr Girish Aggarwal, Managing Director- APM Terminals Pipavav said, “This investment strengthens our commitment to provide world-class facilities and services to our customers. This expansion is expected to have a positive impact on the economy of the state of Gujarat by boosting trade and commerce. It is also a clear demonstration of our unwavering dedication to enhancing the logistics infrastructure of our country and supporting the Prime Minister’s vision of reducing the cost of logistics in the country.”

He further added, “As the Dedicated Freight Corridor (DFC) becomes operational and the government emphasizes the use of railways for cargo transportation, APM Terminals Pipavav is well-positioned to solve customers’ needs for sustainable, quicker, and cost-efficient movement of goods from our port.”

The Port’s LPG handling capacity expansion comes at a time when the country’s households

are moving to LPG following the success of PM’s flagship program ‘Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The LPG consumer base has increased substantially over the past few years. APM Terminals Pipavav is one of the few ports in India that has LPG rail siding within the port that can accommodate full train carrying approx. 1200 MT of LPG cargo.

GAC India wins Best International Cruise Port Agent Award

GAC India was awarded Best International Cruise Port Agent Award at the recently concluded inaugural Aqua Cruise and Maritime Tourism Awards 2023, which was organised by Aquarius Marine Services & Consultancy.

The award aims to promote cruise tourism in India by appreciating and facilitating the good work done by the government and private sector for maritime tourism and cruise tourism.

”We are honoured to receive the award. It is a testament to the industry’s recognition and appreciation of our shipping services for the cruise

industry,” said Goran Eriksson, Managing Director for GAC India.

With more than four decades of operations and 27 offices throughout India, covering all major and minor ports, GAC India provides complete services for the cruise industry from port and immigration clearances, husbandry services, crew welfare and provisions supply to liaison with local tour operators and domestic transport.

Mr Rajiv Jalota, Director General of Shipping, and Chairman, Mumbai Port Authority presenting the Best International Cruise Port Agent Award to Goran Eriksson, Managing Director, and Shashi Nair, General Manager - Commercial of GAC India, along with Mr Deepak Shetty, Former DGS and Capt Anish Jaggi, Organiser, and Owner, Aquarius Marine Services

I Pulled Myself Out of Retirement to Fulfil a Dream

Many years back I used to make Boats. That was a period when people were apprehensive of Fiberglass and had never heard of jets for Boats. But God led my life in such a way that I went on to make boats and introduced jets on Indian waters.

Similarly there were many other products that I made and introduced in the Indian market. When people were still trying to figure out whether or not to place their belief in our work, we were exporting Boats to other countries. This was all happening in a place farthest from the sea, at Indore in MP.

Then by the turn of the century we stopped making boats and went in to oblivion.

But after 22 long years my old workers come to me and request persistently to restart some work, so that they will be busy and also earn some money in their retired lives.

In the same period a friend of many years comes to me with a request to build a boat that can handle the mighty Ganges, in upstream as well as downstream directions.

So we evaluate different options but most of them are rejected by me or by him on different grounds.

DRIVING FORCE

This was a project where the customer Mr Kapil Datta has been the main driving force. He has been brought up from childhood near the mighty Ganges in a village called Balawalli. When you get up in the morning and swim in the Ganges almost

every day, when you use the mighty Ganges as your playground from a tender age, you know pretty much what you are looking for.

His experience on a small boat with the old Johnston OBM (Overboard Motor) of his father proved very useful. Thus he knew fairly well what would be best for him. His constant efforts on digging out information through the internet and YouTube gave us a great base to plan and design a boat that would be right for operation on the upper reaches of the Ganges.

There are many things in life that just happen; they are neither planned nor systematically approached.

- Dileep Balkrishna Naik

His requirement was for a boat that could sail the Ganges in the dry season, when there are shifting shallows and sand bars, as well as in the rains when the flow is high and you may strike logs etc flowing with the current.

Apart from these technical requirements, my priority was the safety of the family and friends that would be using it.

Well after a year of discussions we decided we would use Out Board jets. We decided on a twin installation for safety. This would give us at least one engine in case the other fails.

We did not have a suitable hull so we had to design the boat from scratch to meet all the requirements.

SETTING IT ALL UP

Work started and the mould was setup. Engines were ordered from Mercury.

These were Out Board Jets from Mercury who have perfected them in the USA where they have been successful for operations on the shallow rivers of the US Midwest. There they are mostly used on light-aluminium fishing boats for working the rivers, carrying two or three passengers only. These boats would be very light for the Ganges waters, where the flow is high and also the floating debris or logs are a constant threat.

We were looking for a boat for a family with space for eight to ten, stability and safety being prime criteria, and speed against current an essential feature.

As we locked on to our aims the designing of an entirely new boat began. Its shape started forming in my mind. My wakeful dreaming every night would gradually lead me to the final shape. Twin engines of forty HP had become available; so we planned the design based on these.

These engines had not been used in India so far. Even in the US they had not been used much yet. Thus little previous experience was available.

The team of my old boys started coming to work. We set up the mould and one fine morning started work on the hull. That was truly a very exciting day for me. There were too many unknown facts. The outboard was very new and in fact twin installation had not been tried by American boat builders yet. Each day my dreams got more intense and my nights got sleepless.

It was a tough job getting quality and perfection from a small team of workers all over 65, led by me at 77.

It was work from 9-7 pm every day. No Holiday or Sunday was spared; every day was work time.

But finally the hull was completed. Just four of us with one help, we released the boat and put it on the trailer. That was tough for four senior citizens, but more than physical strength our experience and ideas did the job.

Slowly but surely the work progressed: installation of engines, wiring, and steering & controls took time, but everything eventually got put together.

Then after rigging a tank and checking the installation we kicked the engines. The sweet sound of the Mercury engines made us all smile.

That only increased my anxiety and sleepless nights were now a constant companion. The real test would be only on the waters, that too of the mighty Ganges.

The owners came to the Indore site and were thoroughly satisfied with the looks and the quality of the boat.

THE ULTIMATE TEST

It was decided to transport the boat by road from Indore to Balawali in Bijnor district of UP. This place near the Ganga is 35 km downstream from Haridwar.

While the boat was on the road, I took a flight to Delhi and travelled by car to Balawali. I was amazed at the road from Delhi to Meerut which runs only at elevated levels, with no interference at all of two wheelers, animals or pedestrians.

On reaching my destination the first thing I see is our boat sitting there proudly. After discussions it was decided to launch it the next morning.

In the evening we went to the river, the enormous Ganges, to look at the best spot to launch our boat. That meant one more night to face tension and the suspense of what would happen with our launch the next morning.

Finally the time came when we were ready. It was a slow and positive launch. All were excited, but I was gripped by tension. I got behind the wheel and started the engines, reversing to get the boat in to the river.

Soon we were sailing on our maiden voyage towards Haridwar, 35 km to the North. We kept increasing the speed. RPM of the engines was 3,500 for some time, but after half an hour we were pushing 4,200.

The boat was handling well and the speed was looking good. I was still not satisfied; I wanted to find out how the boat would perform at full throttle.

There were so many unknown parameters over its performance as these engines had not come to India yet, and there was no data or test results on twin installation.

After some two hours I pushed the throttle to full power and there was a sudden gush of breeze that swept past my face. I looked in front, then looked to

my right on the river. The river to which I had only been praying all this while was suddenly sweeping at high speed under me.

I knew the boat was going real fast. I found myself in a state of mind which I have never experienced before. The fast rush of breeze that hit me was now carrying drops of water from my face. I realised they were my tears rolling down from my eyes!

I have heard of and seen tears of joy and tears of sadness, but these were different. These were tears of success!

I have had success many times before in my life. My best success was the Landing Craft Assault I made for the navy. I was only 40 yrs old then. Making those LCAs on time, and achieving performance better than my own predictions and against all the giant companies of the time, did give me enormous happiness on that night in Mumbai harbour.

This was however something out of this world. I was alone and couldn’t share it with anyone there. I just shook hands with Mr Datta, who was the inspiration and the main reason we were here upon the Ganges now about 20 km downstream of Haridwar. I said to him: “Kapil ji, we have done it. Congratulations to you and to your family.”

My team of boys and their leader in Balawali had given their full support.

In the factory our old team of workers Prakash, Ramesh and Dinesh, who have been with me for over 45 years, were my pillars of strength. Without their faith and unconditional support this would not have happened.

Many thanks again to Kapil ji, my wife Bharati, and my family who have given me unconditional backing in this project.

It’s good to taste success at 77. I’m sure glad I stepped out of my retirement to do it.

Accelerating maritime decarbonisation and digitalisation

Technology group Wärtsilä and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at collaborating in mutually beneficial areas to enable the introduction of next generation renewable fuels, optimise digital port operations, and develop future talent.

(From Left) H.E. Antti Vänskä, Ambassador of Finland to Singapore, Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive for industry and transformation at MPA, Roger Holm President of Marine Power at Wärtsilä and Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of MPA

Under the MoU, signed in April, MPA and Wärtsilä will explore renewable fuel technologies and seek partnerships with various stakeholders to develop green fuel safety concepts and procedures to ensure safe handling and operation of future fuels. Insights gained will support the development of global standards for maritime fuel safety. The parties will seek to make port operations more efficient through developing reliable, secure, and cost-effective data exchanges between vessels and port operations. Sharing of data at scale, including real time data, has potentials of unlocking insights to optimise port and vessel operations such as Just-inTime planning. It can also greatly enhance data-based value generation, including the development of new capabilities and operational processes. The development of an operational concept for vessels and harbour craft utilising AI-based monitoring, tracking, and incident response, is also planned. Big data from Wärtsilä’s Navi-Port system, MPA’s digital platforms and other relevant sources will be at the core of the algorithms to power the AI.

MPA and Wärtsilä will also collaborate on assessing cyber threats and risks to shipboard systems, ship-shore system communications and MPA’s digital platforms.

To equip future maritime workforce with skills and competencies relating to digitalisation and decarbonisation, MPA and Wärtsilä will explore working with partners and stakeholders to identify new skills. The collaboration could include working with the Tripartite Advisory Panel under the Alliance for Future Maritime Talent (AFMT TAP) to co-create enhanced training curriculum to improve training effectiveness.

Kenneth Lim, Assistant Chief Executive (Industry and Transformation), MPA said:

“As a major bunkering and a maritime hub

port supported by a robust R&D and startup ecosystem, Singapore is at the heart of marintech innovation and at an exciting phase for the potential introduction of maritime fuels such as methanol, hydrogen and its derivatives such as ammonia. MPA looks forward to our partnership with Wärtsilä to unlock our collective potentials and develop solutions that can be scaled to benefit global maritime community.”

“Over the years we have established a strong relationship with MPA, having worked together on various projects aimed at boosting efficiencies and sustainability,” commented Roger Holm, President of Marine Power at Wärtsilä. “This collaboration elevates Wärtsilä’s previous MoU with MPA to include new impactful areas in decarbonisation and talent development. The partnership will promote innovation and accelerate the industry’s transition to new cleaner fuels and the adoption of the latest technologies. By working in close cooperation with all relevant stakeholders and qualified partners, Wärtsilä and MPA are making a concerted effort to create more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable maritime operations.”

MMT

Emerging trends on Inland Water Transport

We have heard about the Ganga Nivas River cruise which starts at Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and culminates at Dibrugarh in Assam, traversing for more than 3200 kms. This river cruise is the longest inland cruise in the world. Earlier this year, India’s honourable Prime Minister inaugurated its maiden voyage on 13th January. Ganga Nivas cruise traverses through our national waterway giving glimpse of some of our iconic tourist destinations. However how many of you know about our national waterways. Hence this edition of Maritime musing is on National waterways No 1.

With a coastline of 7,500 km long and with 14,500 kms of navigable inland waterways our nation has an immense potential to tap an eco-friendly water based modal transport, which can complement rail and road-based cargo and passenger movement. Currently, only 6% of our freight modal mix is from coastal and inland waterway transportation, whereas our neighbouring countries like Bangladesh and Thailand have over 12 percent

of water-based transport, emphasizing the scope for improvement in India. This transportation should also integrate with hinterland rail and road transportation. Similarly, the inland water transportation system, integrated with the coastal waters transportation, will provide unique transportation system in the country reducing both logistic cost and improving the carbon footprint. While getting integrated with rail and road transportation modes this will facilitate efficient supply chains benefiting both for industrial and public sector.

Transportation is also fundamental to sustainable development of any country. The dependence on rail and road for nearly 95 % of logistics has a direct cost on environment due to the excessive use of fossil fuels. Water transportation with the addition of newer technologies is expected to be a panacea against environmental degradation caused by land-based transport.

It is also well-known that inland water transport is also a cheap mode of transportation compared with rail and road if there is an economics of scale. Maritime Vision Document 2030 is expecting Rs 3 lakh crore worth of investments in port projects, shipping, and inland waterways generating a great potential for employment of over 20 lakh individuals. Coastal and Inland transportation have a great share in this expectation and hence by creating an effective and enabling environment investment in these sectors will become attractive.

In 1986 Government of India established Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) to harness the potential of inland water transport, and since then they have been working towards management and development of inland waterways. Further to this the government has also started the Jalmarg Vikash Project with a view to developing an integrated inland water transportation and associated infrastructure. This includes fairway development, dredging works, navigational aids, development of river terminals and revamping of existing facilities. With over 5,000 km of navigable inland waterways, the Inland Water Authority of India (IWAI) has declared 5 Waterways (NW1,2,3,4 and 5) as National waterways, covering a total 4,434 km of inland waters with various routes. This includes the rivers Brahmaputra, Ganga, Krishna Godavari, back waters of Kerala, and Brahmana Mahanadi river system along with East Coast Canal. Total 106 navigable rivers were declared as National Waterways in 2016 by the government by the National Waterways Act, 2016 of which only five waterways were recognized as National Waterways (NWs).

Under these National Waterways, many are operational for shipping, navigation, and cargo/passenger vessels. National Waterway-1 (Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system from Allahabad to Haldia), National Waterway–2 (River Brahmaputra from Dhubri to Sadiya), National Waterway-3 (West Coast Canal from Kottapuram to Kollam along with Udyogmandal and Champakara Canals) have already been developed with fairway, jetties, navigational aids and terminals with mechanized equipment handling facilities for loading and unloading of cargo.

In India, almost half the population lives around the Ganges River belt. In terms of trade, 1/5thof all India’s freight originates, and 1/3rd terminates in the states around the Ganges belt. Due to the congestion faced

by the cities and space constraints, there is hardly any scope for land-based development in the region. Hence, river Ganga can play a pivotal role in generating growth prospects for sustainable economic development of the region. This will provide a cost efficient, economic, reliable, safe and environment friendly mode of transport. When developed for use by modern inland vessels operating on dependable fairway, it can reduce congestion and investment needs in rail and road infrastructure, promote greater complementarities in the riparian states, enhance intra-regional trade and through increased economies of scale, significantly reduce overall logistics costs for the benefit of the entire economy and India’s global trade competitiveness.

Hence among the NWs under development, NW-1 hold immense significance as they will help movement of passenger and cargo from the nearest major port in Kolkata. The Allahabad-Haldia stretch (1620km) of Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly River system was declared as NW-1 in the year 1986 and is a waterway of national significance passing through four (4) states of West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It links the gateway ports of Haldia and Kolkata to Bhagalpur, Patna, Ghazipur, Varanasi and Allahabad, their industrial hinterland, and several other industrial hubs located along the Ganga basin. The Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP) on NW-1 is being implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank. The Project entails development of fairway with 3 meters depth between Varanasi and Haldia (Phase-I) covering 1380 km at an estimated cost of Rs. 5369 crores with target for completion in six years. This involves construction of a multimodal terminal at Varanasi, Sahib Ganj and a new navigation dock at Farakka with midway floating jetties and River management systems. Varanasi is completed, and Haldia and Sahibganj are in final stages of completion.

These waterways are being developed to leverage from EXIM trade with countries like Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar and Nepal. India has already signed Treaty with these countries to include Inland Waterways mode as a mode of Trade and Transit between the countries. It provides immense opportunities to private sector in areas like dredging, setting up MSMEs/SMEs in the catchment areas, river tourism etc.

The Author Rajesh Menon Advisor at Nevoxel

(Rajesh is a Maritime Expert with nearly 25 years in Infrastructure and Maritime. He advises Maritime Organisations in Strategy and Capacity building.)

TMS launches Special 10th anniversary Awards

The Maritime Standard has launched its special 10th anniversary TMS Awards evening, with details of both the date and location recently being confirmed. It was revealed during the TMS Golf Classic, which took place on March 16th at the Trump International Golf Club in Dubai, that TMS Awards 2023 will take place on Tuesday 7th November at Atlantis, the Palm, Dubai, in its iconic ballroom, with a very special evening planned to mark the significant milestone.

This follows on from the highly successful Awards and gala dinner that took place in November 2022, which consolidated its position as the largest and most prestigious event of its type. Also held at the Atlantis, the 9th edition of the TMS Awards attracted over 950 high level executives from across the region, and beyond. An even higher attendance, possibly in excess of 1000, is expected for the 2023 event, including major delegations from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan and India.

Trevor Pereira, Managing Director of TMS, says, “Last year was notable not just for the quality of the executives in the ballroom, but that fact that all the major companies in shipping and maritime supported the event by attending. We are now clearly positioned as the leading Awards and Gala Dinner for shipping and maritime, not just regionally but globally as well, and we

look forward to marking our tenth anniversary with our best, and biggest event yet.”

An expert panel of judges is being assembled to judge the 21 different categories which are up for grabs. Additionally, there will be an award for Maritime Law Firm of the Year, to reflect the region’s increasingly important role in this sector. This Award will have its own dedicated judging panel drawn from within the trade itself.

Trevor adds, “It is fantastic that we have reached our 10th anniversary and I have been pleased to be able to have served the industry by taking the event from strength to strength. My editor Clive Woodbridge and I have been covering developments in the region for over 25 years now and we have been able to put all that expertise into an event that meets what the industry and the region requires.”

It was further confirmed during the TMS Golf Classic that TMS Tanker Conference will take place on November 8th, the day after the Awards, also at the Atlantis, The Palm, Dubai. Holding the conference in the same location, and the following day, strengthens the synergies between the two events, which are both now well established.

Marex Media

DP World launches double-stack train services

DP World, a leading global provider of smart end-to-end supply chain, has launched a new double-stack freight train facility to improve efficiencies and connectivity between its inland terminal at Ahmedabad and the Mundra port. The maiden train was flagged off from Mundra in early April with a full payload.

The double stack train service will further boost the connectivity of Ahmedabad and will drive better efficiency and significantly lower the overall logistics cost for cargo movement on the route even with fewer rakes, owing to the lower haulage rates and lesser or zero port ground rent (PGR) resulting from the faster evacuation of containers from the port.

Speaking on the launch of the new service, Adhendru Jain, CEO Rail and Inland Terminal, DP World Subcontinent said, “Robust infrastructure and efficient logistics are crucial for boosting economic growth and exports. We are committed to strengthening our supply chain and enabling seamless connectivity to help our customers move their goods quickly and reliably to global and domestic markets. The new double stacked rail freight service will boost cargo carrying capacity substantially and will open new markets for MSMEs in and around Gujarat by leveraging DP World’s world-class integrated multimodal logistics infrastructure.”

Situated about 40 km from Ahmedabad, DP World’s Ahmedabad Inland Terminal is well-connected to the state highway and the rail network. It has a container handling capacity of more than one lakh TEUs per annum, and it offers a host of services and features, including a customs-notified warehouse, inventory management services, and specialised equipment to handle steel cargo. The terminal follows global safety standards and offers several value-added features such as a container repair facility and electronic weighbridges.

INS Sumedha, INS Teg Diverted to Sudan For Rescue Ops

278 Stranded Indians Evacuated, Enroute Home

India on Tuesday evacuated the first batch of 278 Indians from Sudan on board naval ship INS Sumedha and rushed in essential relief supplies for its remaining stranded citizens as the ceasefire appeared to be holding in the strife-torn African country.

Hours later, a C-130J heavy-lift transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force also landed at Port Sudan to undertake evacuation operations, officials said.

Separately, the Indian Navy’s second ship, INS Teg, arrived in Port Sudan to bring back more Indians under New Delhi’s mission ‘Operation Kaveri’ that has been launched to evacuate around 3,000 Indians from Sudan, the officials said.

According to reports, India has set up a control room in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah to facilitate the evacuation of Indians from Sudan. Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan has reached Jeddah to oversee the evacuation mission.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi tweeted; ‘First batch of stranded Indians leave Sudan

under #OperationKaveri. INS Sumedha with 278 people onboard departs Port Sudan for Jeddah.’

It is learnt, India is set to bring back the stranded Indians from Jeddah in military transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force.

India stepped up its efforts to evacuate the Indians from Sudan as a 72-hour truce was agreed to between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following intense negotiations. The Indian Navy said its mission deployed warship INS Sumedha was diverted for evacuation of the citizens stranded in Sudan.

Earlier Prime Minister Narendra Modi had issued directions for preparation of contingency plans to evacuate Indians from Sudan. Apart from the Sudanese authorities, the MEA and the Indian embassy in Sudan have been in regular touch with the United Nations, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and the United States, among others.

- Padmesh Prabhune

The House of Nawabs

Who doesn’t like Kebabs? It’s really hard to resist the meat well marinated with exotic spices and grilled to perfection. The strong Persian and Mughal influence under the Mughal dynasty, has brought some great flavoured kebabs to India. These centuries’ old kebabs when blended with flavours of rich Indian Plains are undoubtedly the epitome of the culinary journey. Ensuring this influence and love for Awadhi cuisine lives on, Deepika Gupta and her husband, Capt Rahul Gupta gave birth to Kebab Gunj on 3rd August 2017 located in the cultural square of Mumbai - Colaba.

After exploring and experimenting, with various recipes and techniques, they have come up with dishes that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. The superior spices are handpicked, sun-dried and grounded and combined in right proportion that elevates each dish and hence separates them from the rest. Building a brand from scratch and taking it to where it is now has taken a lot of efforts, hard work and visionary support from Capt Gupta.

Kebab Gunj is known for its mouthwatering galouti kebabs, onthe-go rolls & all-time favourite Lucknowi Biryani. Unlike other restaurants their menu does not host a huge list of dishes. However they take great pride in each dish and this is what their customers have appreciated through the years.

Kebab Gunj has recently opened in Pune’s posh Koregaon Park with an appealing ambience of Sheekh Cafe, which offers the same marvellous Awadhi flavours to the heart of Marathas.

Completing 6 years with commitment and dedication Kebab Gunj has been recently awarded - Most Iconic Kebabs of North India by Times Hospitality Award.

In an exclusive conversation with Mr Jagdamba Pandey of Marex Media Deepika shares the success story of Kebab Gunj.

Your inspiration to enter the Food industry...

Being a mariner’s wife has given me immense exposure to the cuisines across continents. There was always an urge in me to give my own twist to traditional cuisines.

Favourite Cuisine...

My favourite cuisine is Mughlai and Awadhi which are century old. At Kebab Gunj, we serve authentic Awadhi cuisine. We are trying to revive the medieval Indo-Persian dishes with the same flavours. Our dishes are prepared with spices that are ground in-house to give them a truly unique flavour.

Ingredients quality check...

I handpick all the spices ensuring that their flavours remain intact. We have SOPs that are followed strictly for each raw material sourced and dishes prepared. Our vendors are in direct contact with me that helps me to maintain top-notch Quality. Most memorable hospitality experience...

I have hosted many catering events and each one of them were unique that fetched us many accolades; events such as yacht, ferry, roof-top, and in-house parties; corporate orders; and meal boxes all has been delivered with excellence. The one at Ruia House was the most memorable as the Kebabs were much appreciated, the guests just loved the galaouti and tikka makhani - our signature items.

Future Plans...

Hope to see Kebab Gunj having multiple outlets in Mumbai and later expanding our footprint to different cities in India.

MMT

‘Sagarmala Innovation and Start-up Policy’

Draft Policy aims to establish long-term action plans, network, infrastructure, and other resources to build a robust maritime innovation ecosystem

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) last Monday the 10th April issued a draft ‘Sagarmala Innovation and Start-up Policy’ with an aim to nurture startups and other entities to co-create the future of India’s growing maritime sector.

The draft ‘Sagarmala Innovation and Start-up Policy’ pitches for digital portal-based selection of start-ups to ensure a transparent process, further emphasizing on developing a centralized repository containing all pertinent information to assist emerging entrepreneurs.

Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister, MoPSW, said, “The start-up India policy is the brainchild of PM Modi and this is the right step taken by MoPSW to create a strong ecosystem for fostering startups and innovation in the nation.

“This will surely promote innovation and entrepreneurship. Through this policy, MoPSW wants to enable start-ups to grow and prosper through innovation”.

The Draft policy has identified several key areas for the startup to flourish, including decarbonization, optimizing processes through data, maritime education, multi-modal transportation, manufacturing, alternate/advance materials,

- Padmesh Prabhune

maritime cybersecurity, smart communication, and marine electronics.

The draft policy also called for the creation of launch pads at ports for carrying out trials, facilitating pilot projects, establishing working space, and adopting products and solutions. It further mentions the need to collaborate with national and international stakeholders for mentorship and knowledge sharing, and facilitate access to global subject matter experts, serial entrepreneurs, business leaders, and investors with the potential to get their entry and scaling in India.

-Marex Media

‘Discovery Campus’ for Ports, Waterways and Coasts Launched at Chennai

The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Shri Sarbananda Sonowal on Monday the 24th April, inaugurated the Discovery Campus of the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC) at IITM, Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

During the inauguration, Ms Malini V Shankar, Vice Chancellor, Indian Maritime University; Shri Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson, Chennai Port Authority; Dr. Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, Chairperson, New Mangalore Port Authority; Shri Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IITM; Prof. K Murali, Dean (Faculty) Department of Ocean Engineering; Prof S. Nallayarasu HoD, Department of Ocean Engineering; and other dignitaries were present.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sonowal said, “With the inauguration of this state-of-the-art centre dedicated towards research and development of technological solutions to enable growth of marine sector, we move closer to achieving the vision of our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji to make India an atmanirbhar country. The role of marine sector is supreme in nation building. As we continue to embark on our journey to improve our performance, such centres will play a pivotal role in this regard. “

The NTCPWC has world class capabilities for undertaking the 2D & 3D investigations of research and consultancy nature for the Port, Coastal, and Waterways sector across all disciplines. The centre aims at enabling Research & development for the marine sector with solutions towards achieving the ultimate goal of building a robust marine industry in the country. This state-of-

the-art centre will ensure advancement in the field of maritime technology, as well as modernization & upgradation possibilities in port & operations.

The Chennai facility has five state-of-the-art labs, covering every aspect of design and development, simulation, analysis and production of marine and maritime solutions in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision. The laboratories created are among the best in comparison with other International Labs in the specific domain.

Over the years NTCPWC has already contributed to some of the areas to optimise capability of marine sector of India.

Moreover, to advance the Sagarmala Programme’s objectives, NTCPWC will deal in applied research while analyzing and fostering port and maritime industry activities. Major Ports including Deendayal Port, Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Paradeep Port, Chennai Port, Kamarajar Port, VOC port, New Mangalore Port, and Visakhapatnam Port have contributed generously toward creation of the institute.

Significant contributions have also been provided by Inland Waterways Authority of India. The SMP Kolkata, Mormugao port and Cochin port have also partnered in this activity by providing major case study centers.

The Union Minister assured that this facility would be expanded to include more World Class Lab Facilities and Innovation Hubs to support Maritime Start-Ups.

- Padmesh Prabhune

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