The Indian Ports Association (IPA) has invited experienced professionals from across the country to join a national panel of experts and individual consultants to support major ports and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) on high-level technical and strategic assignments.
In an Expression of Interest (EoI) dated January 1, 2026, IPA sought applications for empanelment to its Centre of Excellence (CoE) from qualified professionals below the age of 70. Applicants must possess at least a graduate degree in a relevant discipline and demonstrate documented expertise in their chosen areas of specialisation, according to the EoI.
The empanelment aims to create a ready pool of pre-qualified experts who can be engaged by major ports, IPA and MoPSW on a need-basis, rather than through permanent appointments. Any engagement under the panel will be short-term, with assignments capped at a maximum of six months in a financial year.
IPA has identified 15 broad domains for empanelment, each divided into five sub-categories. These span a wide range of port-related functions, including project planning, design and construction supervision; environment and green ports; finance and public-private partnerships; information technology and digital systems; navigational audits; estate and town planning; legal services; disaster management; business development; and human resources and capacity building.
Specialist categories also include non-destructive testing, independent engineers, transaction advisers, and cruise development, covering market assessment, terminal design and business models.
Applicants may select multiple domains and sub-categories through a single online application on the CoE portal. The last date for submission is February 16, 2026.
Selection and remuneration
Inclusion in the panel will be at the sole discretion of IPA and its Executive Committee, based on the applicant’s experience and expertise. Empanelment does not guarantee any assignment or remuneration, the EoI clarified.
For engagements that do materialise, ports or the ministry will pay consolidated daily or monthly fees as per predefined slabs. For external private experts, daily rates range from Rs 8,000 for professionals with 7–10 years of experience to Rs 15,000 for those with over 25 years of experience. Corresponding monthly caps range from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3.25 lakh for full-time assignments.
