President of India graces 8th convocation of Indian Maritime University

President of India graces 8th convocation of Indian Maritime University

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Pallavi
Pallavi Pathak
Assistant Manager Content
New Delhi, Updated on Oct 27, 2023 15:37 IST

The President said that despite being one of the youngest of the Central Universities, Indian Maritime University has proved its mettle.

President of India graces 8th convocation of Indian Maritime University

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu graced and addressed the 8th convocation of Indian Maritime University at Chennai, Tamil Nadu today (October 27, 2023).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said that India has a remarkable marine position with a 7,500 km long coastline and 1,382 offshore islands. She added that India has 14,500 kilometres of potentially navigable waterways, apart from a strategic location on important maritime trade routes. 

The country’s maritime sector plays a vital role in its trade and economic growth, as 95 per cent of the country’s trade by volume and 65 per cent of the trade by value is undertaken through maritime transport. The coastal economy sustains over 4 million fishermen and India is the second largest fish-producing nation in the world with a fleet of about 2,50,000 fishing boats.

The President said that before we can fully exploit the potential of this sector, we will have to overcome several challenges. She added that a lot of container ship cargo is diverted to nearby foreign ports due to depth restrictions. She further said that in the merchant and civilian shipbuilding industry, we need to aim for the highest standards of efficiency, efficacy and competitiveness. 

She highlighted that the operational efficiency and turnaround time of Indian ports need to match the global average benchmarks. The Indian ports must address infrastructural and operational challenges before they graduate to the next level. She stated that the Sagarmala programme is a significant move away from “port development” to “port-led development”.

The President said that one of the gravest challenges of our time is climate catastrophe which includes rising temperatures and sea levels. The maritime sector needs to be agile, proactive and swift in adaptation and mitigation of climate change which risks disrupting livelihoods, particularly among vulnerable communities.

Students have not only professional responsibility but also an obligation towards the health of ecology and ecosystem. The need of the hour is sustainable and efficient maritime-related activities including shipping. More resilient and greener practices in the ocean are also essential for a healthy ecosystem.

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Pallavi Pathak
Assistant Manager Content

Pallavi is a versatile writer with around eight years of experience in digital content. She has written content for both Indian and International publications and has a solid background in journalism and communicati... Read Full Bio