Union Minister Sonowal unveils e-Samudra and other tech platforms to modernise India’s maritime governance.
India’s maritime sector took a decisive leap towards digital transformation today as Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled a suite of technology-driven initiatives at the “IT Conclave 2025 – Leveraging Technology in Maritime.”
Hosted by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) and the Company of Master Mariners of India (CMMI), the conclave marked the launch of the revamped DG Shipping website, the first phase of the e-Samudra platform, and a detailed vision document for maritime digital transformation.
The new GIGW 3.0-compliant website offers a multilingual, mobile-friendly interface designed to make life easier for seafarers, shipowners, training institutes, and other maritime stakeholders. But the real game-changer was the e-Samudra platform, a cloud-native system set to bring over 60 maritime services under one digital umbrella.
Phase one features modules for faster chartering permissions, shipbuilding financial assistance, digital MTO registration, and an automated visitor access management system for enhanced security. “These initiatives represent a paradigm shift in maritime governance, bringing transparency, speed, and efficiency,” said Sonowal, who hailed the move as part of India’s march towards a “Viksit Bharat” under Prime Minister Modi’s vision.
The event also saw the launch of a pilot AI-based exam system in Noida and the release of the “Leveraging Technology in Maritime” vision booklet, detailing plans for AI, IoT, blockchain, and real-time command centres to make maritime operations smarter and safer.
Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State for MoPSW, summed up the mission: “With e-Samudra and other platforms, we aim to deliver seamless services, boost ease of doing business, and set global benchmarks in maritime digital governance.”
India’s shipping sector is now plotting a digital course, one that blends innovation with speed and technology with trust, steering confidently towards a future-ready blue economy.
Source: PIB
