The Indian Maritime University (IMU) awarded degrees to 1,993 students at its 11th convocation in Chennai, underscoring its role in developing skilled professionals for India’s shipping, ports, maritime logistics and allied sectors.
The graduating cohort included 1,605 seafarers, 329 graduates and four PhD scholars. The university also presented 13 gold medals and 11 silver medals in recognition of academic excellence. The ceremony was attended by former IMU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Malini Shankar and Rajya Sabha MP L. K. Sudhish.
In a significant step towards promoting maritime innovation and entrepreneurship, IMU has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Maritime India Foundation (MIF) to establish a Maritime Innovation Hub (MIH) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways’ Sagarmala Startup and Innovation Initiative (S2I2). The initiative aims to encourage innovation and support startups addressing challenges and opportunities across the maritime sector.
MIF has also signed MoUs with IIT Madras and IIT Bombay to establish Maritime Innovation Hubs. Separately, IMU has entered into agreements with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) and Norway’s Nord University to strengthen collaboration in India and internationally.
The university reported a network of 63 MoUs, comprising 18 international and 45 national agreements. During 2025-26, it recorded 19 international and 11 national MoUs, reflecting its efforts to expand academic partnerships and industry engagement.
Highlighting the university’s academic development, Pro Vice-Chancellor Rajoo Balaji said IMU had introduced 22 new value-added programmes alongside its long-duration courses. He also noted an increase in admission enquiries and the university’s performance in education surveys, where it secured one of the top two positions over the past two years.
With 21 affiliated institutes, IMU extends maritime education and professional training through a broad network of institutions, helping prepare students for a range of career opportunities across the maritime ecosystem.
As India advances its maritime development agenda under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Maritime Vision 2047, IMU is expected to play an important role in developing a skilled maritime workforce while strengthening research, innovation and industry collaboration. Its expanding academic programmes and partnerships are aimed at aligning maritime education with the evolving needs of shipping, port operations, logistics and emerging maritime technologies.