Organised recently by Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA), the second edition of the BIMSTEC — Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation — Ports Conclave, in Visakhapatnam, pushed for greater collaboration between the members of the grouping. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal urged the member countries to ratify and implement the recently inked BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation (AMTC).

The agreement seeks to facilitate dialogue on port-led development and foster greater integration of maritime trade, logistics, cruise tourism, and skill development, even as the Bay of Bengal is emerging as a maritime gateway capable of reshaping regional connectivity and global trade flows.

“In line with India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy, the participants were in agreement on the need for deeper BIMSTEC collaboration in port-led growth, digital integration, and skill development to unlock regional prosperity,’’ Madhaiyaan Angamuthu, Chairperson, VPA, said.

There was also a call to make the BIMSTEC maritime economy more in-novative and inclusive. Despite the grouping's 1.7 billion population and a combined GDP of $4.5 trillion, its intra-regional trade stands at just 7 per cent, as against 25 per cent in the ASEAN maritime zone, as ob-served by TK Ramachandran, Secretary, MoPSW.

Digital push

Industry and government representatives called for unifying digital port platforms for seamless tracking and trade, the creation of a regional skill certification framework for maritime professionals, and the promo-tion of coastal shipping and cruise tourism circuits to boost connectiv-ity and culture. The MoPSW decided to establish a BIMSTEC centre of excellence in Mumbai for joint research, innovation, and skilling.

The recently launched Visakhapatnam International Cruise Terminal was a centre of attraction for the delegates, with its promise to unlock regional cruise tourism potential, including Buddhist heritage trails, eco circuits, and integration with scenic destinations like Araku Valley and Lambasingi blending economic growth with cultural revival.

Road ahead

The conclave also hammered out key initiatives, including regional col-laboration through the Kaladan corridor linking northeast India with Myanmar, a BIMSTEC cruise tourism circuit, the launch of a real-time maritime dashboard for regional project tracking, and leveraging public-private partnerships to build world-class port and logistics infrastructure.

Source: The Hindu Business Line 

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