Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 20 March 2025
Admiral D K Joshi, PVSM, AVSM, YSM, NM, VSM (Retd.), Hon’ble Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Vice-Chairman of the Islands Development Agency, participated as a special invitee in the 4th National Sagarmala Apex Committee (NSAC) meeting held in New Delhi on March 19, 2025. The meeting aimed to strengthen the objectives of Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
During his address, the Lt. Governor highlighted several ambitious maritime projects spearheaded by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, aimed at transforming the islands into a world-class maritime cluster. He emphasized the upcoming mega projects, including the Ship-Repair and Ship-Construction Hub in the Indo-Pacific region and the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Galathea Bay, which has been notified as a major port. Once operational, the terminal will rank among the top three ports in India, with a handling capacity of 16.5 million TEUs, significantly boosting India’s maritime infrastructure.
The Lt. Governor also spoke about the Port Meadows project, which has been notified as the first Ship-to-Ship (STS) Transshipment and Customs Port in the region, catering to both exports and imports. Additionally, he mentioned the development of a Deep Water Port at Atlanta Bay, which is poised to become one of the top two or three deepwater ports in India, contributing significantly to India’s economic growth and supporting the vision of Viksit Bharat as envisioned by Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Emphasizing the need for expedited development, the Lt. Governor recommended fast-tracking the repair and reconstruction of jetties across the A&N Islands as part of the first phase. He also urged the timely completion of projects under the Sagarmala scheme to ensure early realization of the maritime goals envisioned for the region.
The Sagarmala Apex Committee plays a crucial role in overseeing and accelerating the implementation of port-led development initiatives, aligning with India’s vision of enhancing its maritime capabilities.