Sonowal invites Norwegian investment in India's maritime sector

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mr Sarbananda Sonowal, invited Norwegian shipowners to invest in India’s growing maritime sector during a roundtable with the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association (NSA) here this week. Thanking NSA President, Mr Harald Fotland for hosting the dialogue, Mr Sonowal highlighted India and Norway’s shared values of sustainability, innovation and mutual growth. “India’s maritime sector is on a transformative path, driven by sustainability, innovation and global partnerships. We invite greater collaboration with Norway to build a green, smart and resilient maritime ecosystem. With major investments in green ports, alternative fuels like green hydrogen and strategic incentives, India aims to become a global leader in shipbuilding. Our growing partnership with Norway — reflected in Indian shipyards delivering next-gen vessels to Norwegian firms — showcases India’s emergence as a trusted, future-ready hub for cost-effective and sustainable maritime solutions. Let’s strengthen this momentum together,” the Minister said. During the meeting, Mr Sonowal highlighted key areas for India-Norway maritime collaboration. He pointed out that Indian shipyards currently hold 11% of the Norwegian Shipowners’ Association order book. He urged for further expansion in orders, including leveraging India’s ship-breaking credit note scheme. Emphasising India’s robust seafaring workforce—ranked second in NSA’s global fleet—he called for broader recruitment partnerships. He also underlined the significant investment opportunities available under the flagship Sagarmala programme and the $2.9 billion Maritime Development Fund, offering incentives across shipbuilding, ports and logistics. He stressed India’s commitment to innovation through digital platforms like ONOP and MAITRI and invited Norway’s cooperation in green shipping corridors, ship recycling and IMO-aligned net-zero goals, noting that 87% of Indian recycling yards are now HKC compliant. Mr Sonowal also attended an important Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Kolkata-based Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE) and Norway’s Kongsberg Oslo, which paves the way for India to build it first-ever Polar Research Vessel (PRV) indigenously. “Let this MoU signing be a beacon of hope and progress, signalling India’s unwavering commitment to scientific advancement and sustainable development. Together, we are building not just a vessel but a legacy—a legacy of innovation, exploration and international cooperation that will inspire generations to come. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji, this MoU is a commitment to fostering scientific discovery, advancing India’s capabilities in polar and ocean research and contributing to global efforts to address pressing challenges like climate change. The vessel will be equipped with the latest scientific equipment, enabling our researchers to explore the oceans’ depths, study marine ecosystems and unlock new insights into our planet’s past, present and future. This will be a testament of India’s critical shipbuilding capabilities — boosting further ‘Make in India’ initiative of the government,” he emphasised on the occasion. The MoU marks an important milestone for India’s shipbuilding sector as it will receive design expertise for developing the PRV, while taking into account the requirement of National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCOPR) which will use it for research activities in the polar and southern ocean realms. GRSE, with its rich experience in constructing complex maritime platforms like warships, survey & research vessels, will build this PRV at its yard in Kolkata. Mr Sonowal is on a five-day official visit to Norway to participate in the Nor-Shipping event, as well as to Denmark, aimed at further strengthening relationships with the leaders of the global maritime sector, said a release.

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