India Embraces Blue Economy With Smart Port Infrastructure
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Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ), India’s largest port developer and operator, showcases how technology, inclusion and indigenous innovation are powering the nation’s journey towards a self-reliant and sustainable maritime future.
APSEZ handles nearly one-fourth of India’s total cargo through its network of ports and logistics assets. The concept of the “Blue Economy” means using oceans, seas and coastal resources in a sustainable way for growth, jobs and livelihoods.
India Maritime Week (IMW) 2025, taking place at the Bombay Exhibition Centre in Mumbai from October 27–31, is more than a policy platform. It is a vision of India’s maritime resurgence. Organised by the Indian Ports Association (IPA) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), the event brings together over 100,000 delegates, 500+ exhibitors, 200+ global speakers and participants from 100+ countries to chart the future of the global maritime economy.
IMW 2025 is being held to spotlight India’s leadership in the maritime ecosystem, and it aims to unlock investment possibilities worth more than USD 82 billion. One of the major themes of the event is the “Blue Economy Finance & Investment Forum” to bring in new finance models like blue bonds and ship-leasing.
At the heart of this global convergence stands APSEZ, India’s largest port developer and operator, showcasing its pivotal role in shaping the nation’s Blue Economy. Through its pavilion, APSEZ highlights how technology, inclusion, Make-in-India innovation and sustainability are redefining India’s maritime growth story. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s attendance on October 29, followed by the Global Maritime CEO Forum, will further underscore India’s ambition to lead the maritime world.
India’s maritime policy under programmes such as Sagarmala and Maritime Vision 2030 is aimed at creating a big upgrade in ports, shipping and inland waterways. The “Make-in-India” emphasis means building more ships, tugs, dredgers, and port machinery in India rather than importing.
Over the past decade, India’s maritime policy landscape has evolved rapidly under the twin frameworks of Sagarmala and Maritime Vision 2030, encompassing more than 150 initiatives across ports, shipping and inland waterways. These flagship programmes aim to position India as a global maritime hub by driving port-led development, lowering logistics costs and promoting sustainable coastal infrastructure — all key enablers of Aatmanirbhar Bharat.
India still has relatively high logistics costs (around 13-14% of GDP) compared to the global best (8-9%), so improving port infrastructure is key. The Blue Economy roadmap also includes making ports carbon-neutral, using alternative fuels and reducing emissions in shipping. Amid this transformation, APSEZ, part of the diversified Adani Group, has emerged as a cornerstone of India’s port-led growth. From a single port at Mundra, Gujarat, in the late 1990s, APSEZ now operates 15 ports across India and four overseas, supported by 12 multimodal logistics parks, 132 rakes and a 5,000+ vehicle fleet. Handling nearly one-fourth of India’s total cargo, APSEZ today represents the nation’s largest integrated transport utility.
APSEZ also has a global footprint (for example, Haifa in Israel, Colombo in Sri Lanka), which helps India’s maritime reach grow. Mundra Port itself is India’s first private port and handles very large volumes. This shows how APSEZ grew from one port to many. At IMW 2025, the APSEZ Pavilion is built around four key pillars: Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Women Empowerment, AI-powered Logistics and Impact. A major focus this year is the MoU signings that will advance India’s port, dredging and harbour capabilities under the Make-in-India framework.
Women’s inclusion in maritime operations is still small in India; boosting that is part of making the Blue Economy more inclusive. AI-powered logistics can reduce costs and improve efficiency in ports, which is vital for India’s growth in this sector. Under its Harbour Business, APSEZ will sign multiple long-term MoUs that reinforce its leadership in marine services: With Mumbai Port Authority (MBPA) for the supply and charter hire of six ASTDS tugs for seven years and one Green (GTTP) tug for 15 years. The Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP) is about using greener tugs to reduce emissions, which matches India’s push for a clean maritime future.
With V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA), Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, for the charter hire of two harbour tugs for seven years. Tuticorin port is already making strides in green hydrogen and methanol bunkering, indicating the wider green push in Indian ports. With Chennai Port Authority (ChPA) for the charter hire of one 60 TBP Escort Tug Vessel (ETV). An ETV helps escort large ships safely important for port safety and efficiency.
With the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) for the construction of twelve tugboats, to be signed on October 29 in the presence of PM Modi. In the dredging segment, APSEZ will sign an MoU for the construction of a self-propelled grab dredger, marking another milestone in indigenous maritime engineering. Dredging is critical to maintain port depth and help big ships enter – making this capability in India helps reduce dependence on foreign equipment. APSEZ will ink MoUs for new and strategic developments at Vadhvan Port, Haldia Port, Vizhinjam LNG bunkering and Dighi Port, showcasing its commitment to capacity creation and green infrastructure.
The newer port developments and LNG bunkering reflect the shift towards cleaner fuels and smarter ports in India’s Blue Economy push. A key highlight of APSEZ’s showcase is India’s first Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) simulator, designed indigenously by ARI Simulation for APSEZ under the Make-in-India programme — a milestone that reinforces India’s engineering prowess and supports Sagarmala’s goal of expanding port capacity through domestic manufacturing.
Making simulators and training tools in India helps build domestic skills and reduce import costs, which is a win for self-reliance. Inclusivity also anchors the APSEZ story. At Vizhinjam Port in Kerala, India’s first trans-shipment hub, APSEZ has trained and deployed the country’s first women quay crane operators, exemplifying how technology and skill development can create equitable opportunities in maritime operations. Training women in maritime roles is important because traditionally they have been underrepresented, especially in ports and shipping.
Its Zero Touch Multi-Modal Logistics Platform integrates ports, rail, road and inland waterways using AI-driven predictive analytics, directly contributing to lower logistics costs and improved efficiency, key to boosting India’s trade competitiveness. Integration of different modes (sea, rail, road, inland waterways) is a key pillar in India’s Maritime Vision to create seamless cargo movement.
Through Adani Skills & Education (ASE), APSEZ has trained over 8,000 youth in ports and logistics within two years, achieving 100 % employment. Its flagship Karma Shiksha programme, India’s first NCVET-accredited diploma in Ports & Logistics, combines classroom learning with hands-on experience. Across the APSEZ network, 53,000 individuals have undergone safety training, and 7,000 youth and women have been skilled at Adani Krishnapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh alone. Skill development is central to making the Blue Economy inclusive, offering jobs to youth and coastal communities.
India’s Blue Economy, contributing about 4% to GDP ($13.2 billion), is fast becoming a growth frontier spanning fisheries, renewables, coastal tourism and logistics. With 100% FDI allowed in port infrastructure and green initiatives such as the Green Tug Transition Programme (GTTP) and Harit Sagar Guidelines, sustainability and self-reliance are converging. APSEZ complements these national goals through renewable energy adoption, electrified cranes, wastewater recycling and carbon-neutral terminals.
The Blue Economy in India also faces challenges such as climate change, infrastructure gaps and the need to include coastal communities meaningfully. India’s “Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047” outlines more than 300 initiatives to make ports green, sustainable and globally competitive.
With a global footprint spanning Haifa (Israel), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Queensland (Australia) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), APSEZ strengthens India’s SAGAR Vision (Security and Growth for All in the Region), enhancing regional cooperation and trade resilience.
India’s maritime diplomacy aims to build partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, linking trade, infrastructure and strategic reach via its Blue Economy. As India navigates the Decade of the Seas, APSEZ’s leadership, rooted in Make-in-India innovation, digital transformation and inclusive growth, embodies the nation’s maritime ambition: self-reliant, sustainable, and ready to lead the Global South. India’s push is not just about building more ports, but changing the way the maritime economy works: smarter, greener, more inclusive.