Ahmedabad, March 27: Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) announced on Friday the launch of India’s first Port of Refuge (POR). This initiative addresses a long-standing gap in maritime emergency infrastructure and establishes a robust system for handling maritime emergencies and distressed vessels.
This initiative is supported by a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SMIT Salvage, Royal Boskalis Westminster NV (Boskalis), and the Maritime Emergency Response Centre (MERC), providing global expertise and coordinated response capabilities.
Defined by the International Maritime Organization, a POR is a location where ships can seek refuge during crises, ensuring safety for lives and minimizing environmental damage. While such infrastructure is standard in major maritime economies, India has not previously established a formal structure of this kind.
APSEZ, India’s largest and the world’s fastest-growing integrated transport company, which handles approximately 27% of India’s port cargo volume, stated that this move comes at a time when India, with its extensive coastline of over 11,000 kilometers and key global shipping routes, is working to enhance its emergency response capabilities.
Ashwani Gupta, Executive Director and CEO of APSEZ, remarked, “This achievement is a significant step towards strengthening India’s maritime safety framework.” He added, “Ports connect economies, but a POR saves lives. By establishing a dedicated POR, we are upgrading India’s maritime preparedness and setting a new standard for world-class coastal security. At APSEZ, we believe that world-class infrastructure must come with world-class responsibility.”
APSEZ will designate two locations as PORs: Dighi Port on the western coast, facilitating traffic towards the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf, and Gopalpur Port on the eastern coast, servicing routes towards the Bay of Bengal and the Malacca Strait, one of the busiest maritime trade corridors globally.
These facilities will provide rescue and vessel wreck removal services, firefighting, pollution control, and emergency coordination through specialized equipment and trained response teams.
Director General of Shipping Shyam Jagannathan stated, “This initiative is a crucial step in strengthening India’s maritime preparedness and emergency response capabilities. Adopting a standardized Port of Refuge framework will enable more coordinated and timely actions during maritime accidents, ensuring effective protection of lives, cargo, and the coastal environment.”
This initiative aligns with international maritime conventions, reinforcing safety, environmental protection, and India’s role in global shipping corridors.
Richard Jansen, Managing Director of SMIT Salvage (Boskalis), highlighted, “Providing a Port of Refuge for a distressed vessel is critical in rescue operations to handle the ship and its cargo promptly and professionally, ensuring the treatment and disposal of affected cargo and firefighting water comply with applicable laws.”
He further noted that SMIT Salvage is pleased to offer the best global salvage capabilities and experience to ensure rapid, safe, and coordinated emergency responses on India’s major shipping routes.
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