New Delhi, June 27 (IANS) India has emerged as the world’s leading ship recycling nation by gross tonnage, reflecting the country’s commitment to environmentally responsible and globally compliant maritime practices, an official statement said on Saturday.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated Goa’s new Captain of Ports Terminal Building in Panaji, a Rs 48.87-crore waterfront facility designed to strengthen maritime administration, improve vessel monitoring and navigation, and support the state’s vision of sustainable maritime development.

The building, developed by the Goa State Infrastructure Development Corporation (GSIDC), spans more than 4,405 square metres and replaces the existing Captain of Ports office, which had become inadequate for the department’s growing operational requirements.

Sonowal said the new facility represents far more than a government building. “Today, we are dedicating much more than a building. We are dedicating a symbol of Goa’s maritime identity, its commitment to modernisation and its vision for a sustainable and people-centric future,” he added.

Highlighting the transformation of India’s maritime sector over the past 12 years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Sonowal said the country’s ports have nearly doubled their capacity while vessel turnaround time has been reduced from 95 hours to 41 hours.

India’s seafaring workforce has grown to more than 3.23 lakh, coastal cargo movement has more than doubled, cruise passenger traffic has increased more than fourfold, and operational National Waterways have expanded from three to 32.

The minister praised the Goa Government for emerging as a leader in maritime reforms, noting that Goa became the first state to implement the Inland Vessels Act, 2021.

He said the proposed Goa Maritime Board, the Goa Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Policy and the Maritime Master Plan would further strengthen the state’s maritime ecosystem.

Sonowal also highlighted the rapid development of the Mormugao Port Authority, where infrastructure projects worth more than Rs 1,300 crore have already been completed since 2014, while projects exceeding Rs 2,000 crore are under implementation.

In another announcement, Sonowal said the proposed Goa Water Metro project has now been brought under Phase-I implementation priority.

The event was attended by Goa Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant; Union Minister of State for Power Shripad Naik; Goa Minister for Captain of Ports, Digambar Kamat; and Goa Minister for River Navigation, Subhash Phal Dessai, among others.

–IANS

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