GANDHINAGAR : Gujarat Maritime University (GMU) will host a two-day workshop, “Coast Connect 2026,” on 22–23 August 2026, in collaboration with the Directorate General of Maritime Administration, Government of India; and the Centre for Social Knowledge and Action (SETU).
The Coastal Shipping Act, 2025 — which received the President of India’s assent on 9 August 2025 — is the most transformative maritime legislation since independence, and it lays the legislative foundation for India’s blue economy ambitions. Bringing it to life requires urgent cross-sectoral dialogue, and that is precisely what Coast Connect 2026 is convened to achieve.
The workshop will bring together participants from across India’s maritime ecosystem, including shipping companies, port authorities, logistics and supply chain professionals, policymakers and regulators, academics and researchers, technology providers, marine insurers and financiers, and fishing communities.
Chief Guest :
Shri Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Director General of Maritime Administration, will grace the inaugural session as the Chief Guest, and will inaugurate the workshop.
The Four Tracks:
Sessions are organised across four thematic tracks, designed in direct alignment with the provisions, implementation requirements, and strategic vision of the Coastal Shipping Act, 2025:
• Track A — Logistics Cost Crisis:
Port readiness, PPP, freight economics, blue economy
• Track B — Multi-Regulatory Complexity:
Act provisions, cabotage, licensing, penalties
• Track C — Digital Infrastructure Gap:
AIS/VMS, National Database, AI/IoT, cybersecurity
• Track D — Fisheries & Livelihood:
Protecting 4.2 million coastal fishers
Tracks converge in plenary sessions for cross-domain dialogue.
Expected Outcomes:
- International Policy Brief on Coastal Shipping Governance
- Global Coastal Shipping Research Network
- Technology Demonstration and Maritime Innovation Showcase
- International White Paper on Coastal Shipping & Fisheries Coexistence
