Sarbananda Sonowal Inaugurates Rs 1,500 Cr Projects at New Mangalore Port’s Golden Jubilee Celebration
Highlighting investor confidence in India’s maritime transformation, Sonowal said, “At India Maritime Week 2025, MoUs worth over ₹12 lakh crore were signed across the maritime sector — with ₹52,000 crore by NMPA alone. This is a strong signal of investor faith in India’s maritime growth.”
During his visit, the Minister inaugurated the newly renovated Mangalore Marine College and Technology (MMCT) campus, describing it as a milestone in India’s journey to become a top-three maritime nation. He also opened a ₹9.51 crore Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) office, which will serve seafarers from Karnataka and nearby states for training and certification.
Sonowal commended MMCT’s collaboration with Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the world’s largest container shipping line, for providing world-class training to Indian cadets.
Tracing NMPA’s journey since 1975, Sonowal said the port has grown from handling 90,000 tonnes of cargo with four berths to managing 46 million tonnes annually through 16 berths and a Single Point Mooring facility. With a capacity of 74 MTPA, the port aims to touch 100 MTPA by 2047.
NMPA has achieved 92% mechanisation, becoming India’s largest coffee exporter and the second-largest LPG importer. It is also 100% solar-powered, with digital systems for operational efficiency and a Harit Cargo Concession Policy promoting green logistics.
Among the projects inaugurated was a 150-bed multi-specialty hospital built under the PPP model — the first of its kind among major ports — to serve port employees and nearby communities under Ayushman Bharat.
Sonowal said the Maritime India Vision 2030 (MIV 2030) and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV 2047) serve as blueprints for port modernisation, green shipping, and coastal development. Karnataka, with its 320-km coastline, New Mangalore Port, and 12 minor ports, is emerging as a major maritime hub.
He added that under the Sagarmala Programme, 32 projects worth ₹6,526 crore are being implemented in Karnataka, alongside eight additional projects worth ₹420.89 crore. Over 960 acres of port land have been earmarked for port-led industries, expected to attract ₹68,000 crore in investments and create over 1.5 lakh jobs.
Calling this the “golden era of India’s maritime resurgence,” Sonowal urged youth to contribute to nation-building through the maritime sector. “As Prime Minister Modi says — Yahi samay hai, sahi samay hai. This is our moment to build a Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat,” he said.
Sonowal noted that India has become the third-largest seafaring nation, contributing nearly 15% of the global maritime workforce, with Indian seafarers increasing from 1.08 lakh in 2014 to over 3.2 lakh today. “By 2030, one in every five seafarers globally will be an Indian,” he said.
He also cited transformative achievements under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership — including the ₹76,000 crore Vadhvan Port Project, creation of hydrogen hubs, green port frameworks (Harit Sagar and Harit Nauka), and exponential growth in inland and coastal shipping. India’s cruise tourism has grown fivefold since 2014, while port capacity has doubled to 2,700 MTPA.
Concluding the event, Sonowal paid tribute to NMPA’s workforce, calling the port “a jewel of the western coast, driving India’s journey toward a sustainable and self-reliant maritime future.”
Published on:
14 November 2025
Share:
We Value Your Comment
