The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways announced major decisions to strengthen India’s maritime sector following the 21st meeting of the Maritime State Development Council in Mumbai. The Council, now functioning as a statutory body under the Indian Ports Act 2025, approved two new credit insurance policies for shipbuilders and set a deadline for implementing uniform port processes across the country.
Key facts
- Two new insurance products launched: Shipbuilding Project Credit Risk Insurance Policy (SbPCP) for export projects and Business Credit Shield Policy–Shipbuilders (BCSPS) for domestic projects
- One Nation One Port Process (ONOP) reforms to be implemented across all ports by March 2027
- Maritime Single Window (Sagar Setu) integration deadline: March 2027
- States and Union Territories must notify subordinate rules under the Indian Ports Act within three months
- Over 500 initiatives identified under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047
- Electronic publication of port tariffs made mandatory for transparency
New insurance policies for shipbuilders
The Ministry introduced two specialized credit risk insurance schemes designed to protect India’s shipbuilding industry from payment delays and market volatility. The Shipbuilding Project Credit Risk Insurance Policy, developed by ECGC Ltd., will cover shipbuilding export projects. The Business Credit Shield Policy–Shipbuilders, developed by The New India Assurance Co. Ltd., will protect domestic shipbuilding contracts.
Both policies operate under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme. The Government of India will subsidise insurance premiums and provide direct support to insurers if shipyards file claims. These measures aim to reduce financial uncertainty in ship manufacturing, which involves long project cycles and multi-year commitments. By protecting yards from delayed milestone payments or sudden global market shifts, the government hopes shipbuilders can focus on production quality and capacity expansion.
One Nation One Port Process reforms
The Council mandated implementation of ONOP reforms across all ports, including Major and Non-Major ports, by March 2027. These reforms encompass One Nation One Documentation, Port Process Re-engineering, and Inter-ministerial Process Reforms. The aim is to standardize customs clearance, documentation and administrative processes nationwide, reducing bureaucratic delays and simplifying business procedures for traders and shippers.
All ports must also integrate with the Maritime Single Window (Sagar Setu), a unified digital platform, by the same deadline. This integration will ensure shipping companies interact with a single digital interface rather than multiple agencies, significantly reducing processing time and paperwork. The Ministry released a Ready Reckoner document to guide both Major and Non-Major Ports on implementing these reforms, with references to circulars from the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Ministry of Home Affairs, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for inter-ministerial coordination.
Port tariff transparency and statutory compliance
The Council approved draft regulations requiring all ports to publish tariffs electronically, making pricing information publicly available. This addresses longstanding concerns about tariff opacity and aims to improve transparency in port operations.
States and Union Territories have been instructed to notify subordinate rules under Section 77 of the Indian Ports Act within three months. This statutory requirement ensures uniform implementation of the Act’s provisions across coastal states and union territories with port infrastructure.
Port-linked industrial development
The Council resolved that States, in coordination with the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, should develop port-linked industrial clusters with plug-and-play infrastructure and fast-tracked regulatory approvals. These clusters will integrate land availability, ready infrastructure, and streamlined permissions with port capacity expansion and multimodal connectivity projects. Such integrated development aims to attract manufacturing and processing industries to coastal regions, leveraging port connectivity.
States have been asked to prepare Port Master Plans aligned with the Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 targets. The Ministry will provide a standardized template used by Major Ports to ensure consistency in planning.
Maritime infrastructure priorities
The Council endorsed prioritisation of connectivity projects under Sagarmala, implementation of the National Coastal and Inland Shipping Strategic Plan, and promotion of cargo shift to coastal shipping. It also resolved to facilitate development of shipbuilding, ship-repair and recycling clusters using the Maritime Development Fund, Shipbuilding Development Scheme, and Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Programme. Cruise shipping infrastructure development at both Major and Non-Major Ports received endorsement as well.
What this means for you
For shipbuilders and shipyard workers, the new insurance policies reduce the risk of project cancellation or delayed payments due to financial stress, supporting job continuity in the sector. For traders and shipping companies, the ONOP reforms and Maritime Single Window integration will reduce clearance times and documentation requirements, lowering shipping costs. For states and port authorities, the statutory mandate requires significant administrative restructuring but promises better coordination with the central government on maritime policy. For citizens in coastal regions, port-linked industrial development could generate manufacturing employment and economic growth tied to maritime connectivity.
What happens next
States and Union Territories must notify subordinate rules within three months. All ports must implement ONOP reforms and integrate with Sagar Setu by March 2027. Port Master Plans aligned with national maritime visions must be prepared by states. The Ministry will provide technical support and standardized templates to facilitate these implementations.