NEW DELHI : Shri Durgesh Kumar Dubey, Deputy Chairman, Visakhapatnam Port Authority and Managing Director & CEO, Dredging Corporation of India Ltd., highlighted the role of port-led industrial townships. “Where there is a well-planned port, good things follow—electricity, education, housing, and employment. It is no coincidence that regions like Visakhapatnam have become thriving hubs,” said Mr Dubey, addressing the industry at the Dredging India Conclave 2025, organised by FICCI.
Friday He spoke passionately about India’s evolving port and logistics ecosystem and the critical role of dredging, inland waterways, and integrated planning in unlocking its full potential. “The art of port development is not just about shipping—it’s about enabling access, resilience, and economic upliftment,” he stated, adding that inland and coastal shipping hold immense untapped potential, particularly for last-mile delivery and low-cost cargo movement.
In his closing remarks, Mr Dubey called upon the industry and fellow policymakers to support integrated, collaborative efforts that combine port planning, dredging, and inland waterway development with long-term regional growth strategies. “If we harness our water resources efficiently and sustainably, we can redefine logistics economics for the nation,” he concluded.
Mr H N Aswath, Development Advisor (Ports), Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Government of India, outlined the government’s ambitious plans to position India as a global maritime powerhouse, achieving the nation’s Maritime India Vision.
He emphasised that the Ministry, under the guidance of the Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, is driving the development of next-generation port infrastructure and facilities to meet the growing demand in both international and coastal shipping. “Our vision is to develop facilities capable of handling over 10,000 TEU vessels. This is no longer optional — it’s critical if India is to compete globally and meet rising traffic volumes, particularly in containerized cargo,” he said.
Highlighting the Ministry’s commitment to increasing India’s dredging fleet, he noted, “While DCI remains the flagship organisation, the current fleet size is not adequate. To address this, the Ministry has approved DCI’s fleet expansion and encouraged participation from private and smaller players to build indigenous capacity. Several orders have been placed, with more to follow based on performance and delivery timelines.”
He concluded by affirming the Ministry’s dedication to building a modern, resilient, and competitive maritime ecosystem. “The scale of development ahead of us is immense — and we need collaboration across public and private sectors, large and small companies, to deliver. India must have the fleet, the facilities, and the foresight to lead in global shipping,” said Mr Aswath.
Dr Ameya Pratap Singh, Managing Director, Dharti Dredging & Infrastructure Ltd, reflected on the remarkable growth taking place in India’s dredging industry—highlighting both the scale of ongoing developments and the shift toward sustainability and self-reliance. “The scale and ambition we are witnessing in India’s dredging space today are truly unprecedented,” he added.
Concluding with a strong call for an ecosystem approach, he emphasised upon bringing together government, private sector, and technology partners to build resilient, sustainable dredging infrastructure that aligns with global standards. “To fully capitalise on this opportunity, we must build together — resiliently, sustainably, and indigenously,” he said.
Other key stakeholders present at the Dredging India Conclave 2025 included Mr Ashutosh Gautam, Member (Technical), Inland Waterways Authority of India; Capt. S Divakar, Chief General Manager (Operations), Dredging Corporation of India Ltd; Mr Sanjeev Kumar, Head – Business Development, Contracts & Engineering (Dredging), Adani Ports & SEZ; Mr Kaushik Nandi, Vice President, ITD Cementation; Mr Vandepitte Bram, Managing Director, International Seaport Dredging Ltd; Mr Gaurav Kumar, BU Head – India & Middle East, SNF (India), Mr Mahesh M Zagade, Account Manager – India, NMDC Dredging & Marine.
