HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, March 25: India and Singapore have taken a significant step towards enhancing global maritime sustainability and digitalisation with the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) on Green Shipping and Digital Corridor Collaboration.
The agreement was formalised on Tuesday in Guwahati, during a ceremony attended by Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, and Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and Ministry of Transport, Singapore.
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The LOI, signed by R Lakshmanan, Joint Secretary of MoPSW, and Teo Eng Dih, Chief Executive of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, outlines plans for collaboration between the two nations on maritime digitalisation and decarbonisation.
The partnership will identify key stakeholders and work towards formalising the creation of a Singapore-India Green and Digital Shipping Corridor (GDSC).
Both nations bring complementary strengths to this collaboration.
In his address, Sonowal expressed optimism about the collaboration, saying, “The signing of this landmark LOI marks a significant step towards modernising maritime operations and advancing green shipping efforts.”
Sonowal also emphasised the broader vision of India’s maritime growth under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, noting that this collaboration would contribute to the country’s goal of becoming a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India).
Further discussions on the sidelines of the Singapore Maritime Week included a bilateral meeting between Sonowal and Brigit Gijsbers, Vice Minister of the Netherlands’ Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management.
Both leaders explored opportunities to deepen collaboration on inland waterways and dredging technology.
The meeting also touched upon the possibility of establishing a Green Shipping Corridor between the Port of Rotterdam and major Indian ports such as Deendayal Port (Kandla) and VoC Port (Tuticorin).
In the meeting, Sonowal highlighted the potential for Dutch collaboration in enhancing India’s inland waterways, particularly the Barak and Brahmaputra rivers.
He noted, “With their rich experience and global expertise in dredging and river engineering, we can enable our diverse river systems with modern technologies, making inland waterways more efficient, sustainable, and economically viable.”
The Union Minister also inaugurated the ‘India Pavilion’ and the IRClass Pavilion at the Singapore Maritime Week, underscoring India’s rising stature as a global maritime hub driven by sustainability, innovation, and strategic international partnerships.
During the day, Sonowal also visited the Singapore Cruise Centre to understand the infrastructure and facilities that has helped Singapore to become a thriving cruise tourism destination.
