Indian Maritime University’s 8th Convocation: President Urges Greener Practices in the Maritime Sector

Indian Maritime University's 8th Convocation: President Urges Greener Practices in the Maritime Sector

VoM News Desk | October 28, 2023 | 12:21 AM IST | Breaking News, Security | Follow on Google News

Indian Maritime University’s 8th Convocation: President Urges Greener Practices in the Maritime Sector

Indian Maritime University’s 8th Convocation: President Urges Greener Practices in the Maritime Sector

President Droupadi Murmu addressed the 8th convocation of the Indian Maritime University in Chennai, emphasizing the need for greener practices in the maritime sector to mitigate climate change. She highlighted the severity of climate catastrophe, including rising temperatures and sea levels, as one of the gravest challenges of our time. To tackle this issue, she stressed the importance of the maritime sector being agile, proactive, and swift in adapting and mitigating climate change, particularly to protect vulnerable communities.

A Responsibility Toward Ecology and Ecosystem Health

President Murmu also reminded the graduates of their larger responsibility towards the nation and the obligation to ensure the health of the ecology and the ecosystem. She emphasized the urgency of sustainable and efficient maritime-related activities, including shipping, to address the challenges posed by climate change.

India’s Marine Potential and Challenges

The President highlighted India’s remarkable marine position, with a 7,500 km long coastline and 14,500 kilometers of potentially navigable waterways. She underlined the significant role played by the country’s maritime sector in trade and economic growth, with 95% of trade by volume and 65% by value being conducted through maritime transport. President Murmu also pointed out that India is the world’s second-largest fish-producing nation, with a fleet of about 250,000 fishing boats.

However, she acknowledged the challenges faced by the maritime sector, such as depth restrictions leading to the diversion of container ship cargo to nearby foreign ports. The President stressed the need for higher standards of efficiency, efficacy, and competitiveness in the merchant and civilian shipbuilding industry. Additionally, she called for improvements in the operational efficiency and turnaround time of Indian ports and the mechanization of the fishing fleet.

Deep Ocean Mission and Investment in Maritime Sector

President Murmu highlighted India’s achievements in space and marine exploration, including the successful landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the Moon’s South Pole and preparations for the country’s first manned deep ocean mission, ‘Samudrayaan.’ She noted the investment of Rs10 lakh crore attracted by the Global Maritime India Summit and the government’s vision of ‘Ports for Prosperity and Ports for Progress.’

VoM News Desk

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