Mumbai will host the India Maritime Week 2025 (IMW2025) from October 27 to 31, under the theme “Uniting Oceans, One Maritime Vision”, in what is expected to be one of the largest maritime events globally. The weeklong summit aims to activate investment flows worth ₹10 lakh crore in maritime infrastructure, green shipping, port modernisation, digital technologies, logistics, and shipbuilding.
Officials from Chennai and Kamarajar ports will bring projects worth ₹1.20 lakh crore to Mumbai, seeking private sector investment. The portfolio includes projects in the ideation phase, such as the Northern Rail Link, and ongoing initiatives like the Northern Port Access Road, according to Sunil Paliwal, Chairperson of both Chennai Port Authority and Kamarajar Port Ltd.
“The IMW2025 will be much bigger than previous editions,” Paliwal said, highlighting that the last event in 2023 spanned three days, whereas this year’s edition will run for a full week. Sessions will cover a wide range of topics, including port infrastructure, financing, state-level maritime opportunities, and projects in union territories like Lakshadweep and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The event will feature over 12 concurrent sessions, including the SheEO Conference on empowering women, initiatives to revitalize the shipbuilding industry, and efforts to green India’s maritime heritage. Delegates from around 100 countries are expected to participate, enabling knowledge sharing, showcasing investment opportunities, and fostering strategic partnerships.
For instance, the Chennai Port Authority plans to showcase its outer harbour project, valued at nearly ₹8,000 crore, to attract private investors and finalize the appointment of a transaction advisor. Kamarajar Port in North Chennai will also highlight multiple projects in the pipeline, focusing on bulk cargo such as coal, automobiles, bunkering, POL, and LNG, with plans to expand from nine to 22 berths by 2047.
Shipbuilding will be a key focus at the event. India aims to become one of the top-five shipbuilding nations by 2047, supported by the ₹70,000 crore Shipbuilding and Maritime Package 2025, which provides infrastructure status, tax incentives, and credit support. International players, including South Korean and Japanese firms, are scouting for opportunities to set up operations in India, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where Mazagon Dock Ltd and Cochin Shipyard Ltd plan to establish units in Thoothukudi.
Chennai Port will highlight its “four Cs” strategy—clean cargo, cruise, cars, and containers—while Kamarajar Port will focus on bulk cargo and port expansion projects, reflecting a long-term roadmap for India’s maritime growth over the next 22 years.
IMW2025 is seen as a key milestone in India’s Maritime Amritkal Vision 2047, an ambitious 25-year blueprint aimed at strengthening trade, commerce, and maritime capacities to support India’s goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047.
