BIMSTEC member-countries resolve to strengthen maritime ties

The second edition of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Ports Conclave concluded here on Tuesday with a pledge by the seven member-countries to further strengthen cooperation in the port, cruise tourism, logistics and other related sectors.

The conclave was also successful in positioning Visakhapatnam as a most-preferred gateway port in the Bay of Bengal maritime landscape.

The foreign delegates were happy with the deliberations made during the two-day deliberations at beachside five star hotel and favoured the need for establishing a Centre of Excellence in the city due to availability of a favourable ecosystem and existence of Indian Maritime University, a premier port in the form of Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) set up in 1933 and proactive governments at the Centre as well as the at the State level.

Among others, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal, MoS Santanu Thakur, Secretary in the ministry T.K. Ramachandran and BIMSTEC Secretary General Indra Mani Pandey underlined the need for further fostering the relationship among host country India and members Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Mymnar and Thailand and involve private players in addressing climate change and climate management, seamless digital connectivity, logistic corridors and implementing green initiatives by involving private investors in a big way.

2nd Day of BIMSTEC Ports Conclave witnessed intensive deliberations on regional trade, cruise tourism, and maritime collaborations.

The last day featured a series of high-level panel discussions centered on enhancing regional maritime cooperation, port efficiency, cruise tourism, and human resource development across the Bay of Bengal region. Subject experts served as moderators across various sessions, offering in-depth insights on key issues, while eminent speakers from their respective domains shared valuable perspectives and solutions.

The day began with a panel discussion on enhancing intra-regional trade, currently at just 7%. The session focused on the need to streamline customs procedures, eliminate regulatory bottlenecks, and address gaps in logistics infrastructure to facilitate seamless cargo movement and regional port efficiency.

The discussions focused on the vast potential for cruise tourism in the BIMSTEC region, enriched by vibrant coastal ecosystems, rich cultural heritage, and diverse marine biodiversity. Discussions revolved around collaborative strategies for promoting cruise circuits, ecotourism, and heritage-based coastal tourism. A subsequent session focused on strategizing future roadmaps for BIMSTEC port collaboration, synthesising insights from earlier sessions and outlining long-term frameworks for sustainable and efficient port development aligned with global standards and innovation goals.

The final technical session of the day emphasised the importance of upskilling the maritime workforce, stressing public-private partnerships in maritime education, shipyard development, and port management to foster a competitive and future-ready talent pool.

In another development, before leaving for Delhi, Sarbananda Sonowal visited Hindustan Shipyard Limited (HSL), a Ministry of Defence enterprise and held a separate meeting to review the performance of Dredging Corporation of India Limited (DCIL). Dr. M. Angamuthu, Chairperson, VPA and DCIL earlier briefed him on the performance of DCIL.

Meanwhile, VPA Deputy Chairman Durgesh Kumar Dubey thanked the delegates and the stakeholders for making the conclave a grand success.