CHENNAI: Union Shipping Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Friday opened a dedicated ship technology centre in Visakhapatnam, stepping up efforts to reduce reliance on foreign designs and to build India among the world’s top ten in the global shipbuilding league by 2030.
The minister inaugurated the Indian Ship Technology Centre (ISTC) during the 10th convocation of the Indian Maritime University (IMU) in Chennai. The centre, located on IMU’s Visakhapatnam campus, is designed as a hub for indigenous ship design, research and skills training, and will act as a single-window service provider for consultancy, training and policy inputs.
“The country is embarking on a new era of maritime excellence,” Sonowal said, citing the government’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, which seeks to position India as a leading global maritime power.
The launch comes as India attempts to bolster its shipbuilding ecosystem — long hampered by dependence on overseas expertise and limited domestic design capabilities — with new investment and policy support. ISTC is equipped with advanced software and design tools and will work with the industry to accelerate the adoption of new production processes.
At the convocation, 2,198 students received degrees across IMU’s campuses and affiliated institutions, including four doctorates.
Tamil Nadu’s industries minister TRB Rajaa used the occasion to highlight a separate Rs 30,000 crore investment announced by Cochin Shipyard and Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders to develop a shipbuilding complex in Thoothukudi. “The state has some of the country’s best shipping talent, and we aim to make it the world’s best shipyard,” he said.
Rajaa also pressed the Centre to revive the Buckingham Canal, a colonial-era waterway running through Chennai, as part of the national inland waterway network. The canal and adjoining rivers were once proposed under National Waterway 4, but chronic pollution, encroachment and shallow channels have stymied progress. Shipping secretary TK Ramachandran acknowledged the hurdles but said they could be resolved.