GMB steps up efforts to strengthen maritime footprint

GANDHINAGAR : Union Budget 2026 is set to significantly accelerate the growth of Gujarat’s maritime sector, officials of the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) said on Tuesday, citing strong alignment between the Budget’s maritime thrust and the state’s existing strengths.

“Gujarat has a robust foundation in shipbuilding and maritime infrastructure. With the provisions announced in the Union Budget, the sector is poised for rapid expansion,” a senior GMB official said.

The Budget places focused emphasis on coastal shipping, shipbuilding, defence-related maritime infrastructure, container manufacturing, inland waterways, multimodal connectivity and maritime financing—areas of direct relevance to port-led states such as Gujarat. With the country’s longest coastline, a large number of operational non-major ports and strong industrial hinterland connectivity, Gujarat is expected to be a key beneficiary of these initiatives.

Dr Ajay Kumar, IAS, Vice-Chairman and CEO of GMB, said the Union Budget 2026–27 provides a strong push to India’s maritime ecosystem. “The Budget lays clear emphasis on coastal shipping, port-led infrastructure, shipbuilding and sustainable logistics. These initiatives closely align with Gujarat’s maritime vision and further strengthen the state’s position as India’s leading maritime and logistics hub,” he said.

He highlighted the provisions for the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme and the National Shipbuilding Mission, along with the national target to increase the combined share of coastal shipping and inland waterways in total freight movement from the current 6% to 12% by 2047.

According to GMB officials, the renewed focus on coastal shipping and inland waterways is particularly significant for Gujarat, where nearly 10% of cargo—largely bulk and liquid cargo handled at GMB ports—already moves through coastal routes. “The national target is well aligned with Gujarat’s operational experience and capacity in coastal cargo movement across multiple ports,” officials noted.

The Budget’s allocations for shipbuilding, ship repair and defence maritime infrastructure are also expected to benefit Gujarat, which is home to one of India’s largest shipbuilding facilities by capacity at Pipavav, along with a well-established ecosystem of shipyards, engineering units and marine service providers.

Senior officials added that the Budget provisions complement GMB’s ongoing initiatives, including plans to develop multiple shipbuilding clusters for both defence and commercial vessels, and to further promote port-led industrialisation and logistics efficiency across the state.

Source: TOI