Mangalore port marks golden jubilee with ₹1,500-crore project boost

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal marked the Golden Jubilee of the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) by announcing the inauguration, dedication and foundation stone laying of 16 infrastructure projects and 113 CSR initiatives worth ₹1,500 crore. The Minister said the milestone reflects India’s maritime rise and growing investor confidence.

Celebrating 50 years of NMPA’s service, Sonowal said the port has transformed from a regional gateway into a technologically advanced and globally competitive maritime hub under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Golden Jubilee symbolises the vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat rooted in India’s maritime strength.

The Minister highlighted that at India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai, MoUs worth over ₹12 lakh crore were signed across India’s maritime sector, with NMPA alone accounting for ₹52,000 crore. He called this a clear sign of trust in India’s maritime ecosystem.

During his visit, Sonowal inaugurated the newly renovated campus of Mangalore Marine College and Technology (MMCT), calling it a major step toward India becoming one of the world’s top three maritime nations. Addressing cadets and faculty, he said India’s maritime transformation is driven by sustainability, innovation and global leadership.

He also inaugurated the ₹9.51-crore office building of the Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), Mangalore. The new facility will conduct competency exams for seafarers from Karnataka and neighbouring states, reducing travel for certification and documentation.

Sonowal praised MMCT for building skilled maritime talent and noted its advanced training systems. He commended Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) for partnering with MMCT, adding that MSC’s global operations and large Indian workforce create strong opportunities for young Indian seafarers.

Tracing NMPA’s five-decade journey, the Minister said the port has grown from four berths and 90,000 tonnes of cargo in 1975 to 16 berths, a Single Point Mooring facility, and more than 46 million tonnes of annual cargo. With a usable capacity of 74 million tonnes, the port aims to reach 100 million tonnes by 2047.

Sonowal said NMPA is India’s largest coffee exporter and second-largest LPG importer. With 92% mechanisation, the port has improved safety and logistics efficiency. It also supports industries across Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and contributes to cruise tourism, which boosts local economies.

He emphasised NMPA’s green initiatives, including 100% solar power use, digital systems for reduced environmental impact and the Harit Cargo Concession Policy. These efforts aim to position the port as a green logistics hub.

Among the inaugurated projects was a 150-bed multi-specialty hospital built under the PPP model, the first of its kind among India’s major ports. The hospital will serve port employees and nearby communities and will be covered under Ayushman Bharat.

Sonowal said that under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, ports across India are being modernised for competitiveness, coastal development and green transition. NMPA’s own 2047 Master Plan includes doubling cargo capacity, achieving carbon neutrality and developing Mangaluru as a major logistics and cruise hub with deep draft terminals, LNG infrastructure and an outer harbour cruise terminal with seaplane and heli-taxi facilities.

The Minister noted that Karnataka is emerging as a maritime hub with 32 Sagarmala projects worth ₹6,526 crore and eight more projects worth ₹420.89 crore under implementation. More than 960 acres of port land have been allotted for port-led industries expected to generate significant revenue, investments and employment.

He highlighted government schemes that support coastal communities, including Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana, saying India’s maritime growth is centred on empowering youth, women and traditional seafaring families.

Sonowal also referred to the success of India Maritime Week 2025, inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, which saw participation from 88 countries, 11 global ministers and more than 100,000 delegates. He said MoUs worth over ₹12 lakh crore reflect global confidence in India’s maritime vision.

Calling this the “golden era of India’s maritime resurgence,” the Minister urged young cadets to seize emerging opportunities. He said India’s investment potential in the maritime sector exceeds ₹80 lakh crore and is expected to generate over 1.5 crore jobs. He added that India is now the world’s third-largest seafaring nation, with Indian seafarers rising from 1.08 lakh in 2014 to over 3.2 lakh today, and projected that one in every five global seafarers will be an Indian by 2030.

Sonowal highlighted major achievements made over the past 11 years, including the ₹76,000-crore Vadhvan Port Project, development of hydrogen hubs, adoption of green port and vessel guidelines, and rapid expansion in inland cargo movement and coastal shipping. He said India now outperforms countries like the United States and Germany in vessel turnaround time and has seen cruise tourism grow nearly fivefold. Port capacity has doubled from 1,400 MTPA to 2,700 MTPA, while Indian-flagged tonnage has increased from 10 MGT to 13.52 MGT.

Several dignitaries joined the celebrations, including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, MP Brijesh Chowta, former MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, MLAs Dr. Bharath Shetty and D. Vedavyasa Kamath, Director General of Shipping Shyam Jagannathan, NMPA Chairman Dr. Venkata Raman Akkaraju, and Deputy Chairman S. Shanthi. Many leaders and maritime representatives also attended the MMCT event.