Sarbananda Sonowal reaffirms commitment to gender equality in maritime sector at International Day for Women in Maritime 2026
MUMBAI : A special message from Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, was presented by Shri Sanjeev V. Mehra, Chairman, IME(I), Mumbai Branch, during the International Day for Women in Maritime 2026 celebrations held on 18 May 2026.
In his message, the Minister conveyed his immense pleasure in addressing the global maritime community and extended warm greetings to women professionals whose dedication, leadership, and contributions continue to shape the future of the maritime industry.
Reflecting on this year’s theme, “From Policy to Progress – Advancing Gender Equality,” Shri Sonowal underscored the importance of translating policy intent into tangible action by ensuring meaningful participation of women across all dimensions of maritime development.
He highlighted the maritime sector as a vital driver of global trade, economic growth, and national development, noting the increasingly significant role of women as seafarers, marine engineers, port professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs, administrators, and policymakers. Their growing participation, he said, is strengthening the industry through innovation, professionalism, and inclusivity.
Under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Minister highlighted India’s ongoing maritime transformation driven by key initiatives including port modernisation, green shipping, inland waterways development, coastal connectivity, and the advancement of the Blue Economy.
Shri Sonowal also drew attention to the Directorate General of Shipping’s ‘Sagar Mein Samman’ initiative, describing it as a landmark effort aimed at promoting gender dignity and inclusion within the maritime workforce. The initiative focuses on critical areas such as recruitment, skill development, safety, mentorship, leadership, and career progression, with the objective of ensuring equality, opportunity, and dignity for women professionals.
Aligned with the Maritime India Vision 2030, he noted India’s ambitious target of increasing women’s representation in technical maritime roles to 12% by 2030. Highlighting encouraging progress, he cited the rise in the number of women seafarers from 341 in 2014 to over 2,500 in recent years.
Concluding his message, Shri Sonowal reaffirmed the Government’s unwavering commitment to building an inclusive, equitable, sustainable, and future-ready maritime sector, while extending his best wishes to all participants of the International Day for Women in Maritime 2026 celebrations.
