Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV 2047) is India's long-term blueprint to become a leading global maritime nation by 2047, the 100th year of Independence. It covers ports, shipping, shipbuilding, inland waterways, coastal shipping, cruise tourism and green shipping, with a planned investment of nearly Rs 80 lakh crore.
Why in News?
The 21st meeting of the Maritime State Development Council (MSDC), held in Mumbai and chaired by Union Ports, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, formally adopted the targets of Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047. Together, the two visions contain more than 500 initiatives. The Council also set a March 2027 deadline for all ports to implement the "One Nation One Port Process" (ONOP) reforms.
This was the first MSDC meeting after the Council became a statutory body under the Indian Ports Act, 2025, which came into force on 15 May 2026.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Name | Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 (MAKV 2047) |
|---|---|
| Ministry | Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) |
| Unveiled | 17 October 2023 by PM Narendra Modi at the Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023, Mumbai |
| Target year | 2047 (100 years of Independence) |
| Planned investment | About Rs 80 lakh crore |
| Initiatives | Over 300 actionable initiatives |
| Port capacity target | 10,000 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) |
| Jobs target | About 1.5 crore jobs |
| Builds on | Maritime India Vision 2030 and the Sagarmala Programme |
| Prepared after | Consultations with 150+ stakeholders and study of 50 global benchmarks |
Major Goals of MAKV 2047
- World-class ports: raise port handling capacity to 10,000 MTPA and develop mega ports / port clusters.
- Shipbuilding: make India one of the world's top shipbuilding nations, with shipbuilding, ship-repair and ship-recycling clusters.
- Green shipping: make all major ports carbon neutral by 2047, with green hydrogen and green ammonia hubs at ports.
- Inland waterways and coastal shipping: shift more cargo from road and rail to cheaper and cleaner water transport.
- Cruise tourism: build cruise terminals and make India a major cruise destination.
- Digital ports: paperless and faster port processes through a single digital window.
- Skilled workforce: train more Indian seafarers and maritime professionals.
Key Initiatives
| Area | Initiative |
|---|---|
| Mega ports | Vadhavan Port (Maharashtra); International Container Transshipment Port at Galathea Bay, Great Nicobar |
| Green ports | Harit Sagar Green Port Guidelines; Green Tug Transition Programme |
| Digital | National Logistics Portal (Marine); Maritime Single Window (MSW – Sagar Setu) |
| Port reforms | One Nation One Port Process (ONOP) – deadline March 2027 |
| Shipbuilding finance | Maritime Development Fund; Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Programme; Shipbuilding Development Scheme |
| Shipbuilding insurance | Credit risk insurance under the National Shipbuilding Mission – by ECGC (export projects) and New India Assurance (domestic projects) |
What is "One Nation One Port Process" (ONOP)?
ONOP aims to make documents and procedures the same at every Indian port, so that exporters and shipping lines do not face different rules at different ports. It has three parts:
- One Nation One Documentation – a common set of documents for all ports
- Port process re-engineering – simpler and faster port procedures
- Inter-ministerial process reforms – coordination with Customs, Home Affairs and Health ministries
By March 2027, all ports must also join the Maritime Single Window (Sagar Setu) and publish their tariffs electronically. Sonowal also released a Ready Reckoner to guide major and non-major ports on ONOP.
Other Decisions of the 21st MSDC
- States to prepare master plans for non-major ports in line with national targets.
- Develop port-linked industrial clusters with ready land and faster approvals.
- Speed up Sagarmala projects and multimodal connectivity (road, rail, waterways, pipelines).
- Shift more cargo to coastal shipping.
- States and UTs to notify rules under Section 77 of the Indian Ports Act, 2025 within three months.
MIV 2030 vs MAKV 2047
| Point | Maritime India Vision 2030 | Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 |
|---|---|---|
| Released | March 2021 (Maritime India Summit 2021) | October 2023 (GMIS 2023) |
| Time frame | Up to 2030 | Up to 2047 |
| Initiatives | 150+ | 300+ |
| Investment | Rs 3–3.5 lakh crore | About Rs 80 lakh crore |
Significance
- Around 95% of India's trade by volume moves through the sea, so better ports directly cut logistics costs.
- Water transport is cheaper and greener than road transport, helping India's climate goals.
- Shipbuilding and port-led industries can create lakhs of jobs in coastal states.
- Mega transshipment ports will reduce India's dependence on foreign hubs like Colombo and Singapore.
- A strong maritime sector supports India's strategic role in the Indian Ocean Region.
Static GK: Indian Maritime Sector
| Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways | Sarbananda Sonowal |
|---|---|
| Maritime State Development Council (MSDC) | Set up in 1997; apex advisory body for development of the maritime sector; statutory under the Indian Ports Act, 2025 |
| Sagarmala Programme | Approved in 2015; port-led development programme |
| Indian Ports Act, 2025 | Replaced the Indian Ports Act, 1908 |
| Vadhavan Port | Near Dahanu, Palghar district, Maharashtra – planned as one of the world's top 10 container ports |
| Galathea Bay | Great Nicobar Island – site of the proposed International Container Transshipment Port |
| National Maritime Day | 5 April – marks the voyage of SS Loyalty, the first Indian-owned merchant ship, to London in 1919 |
Practice MCQs
1. Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 was unveiled at which event?
(a) India Maritime Week 2025
(b) Global Maritime India Summit 2023
(c) Maritime India Summit 2021
(d) G20 Summit 2023
2. What is the approximate investment planned under MAKV 2047?
(a) Rs 3.5 lakh crore
(b) Rs 20 lakh crore
(c) Rs 50 lakh crore
(d) Rs 80 lakh crore
3. What is the port handling capacity target under MAKV 2047?
(a) 3,000 MTPA
(b) 5,000 MTPA
(c) 10,000 MTPA
(d) 15,000 MTPA
4. By when must all ports implement the "One Nation One Port Process"?
(a) December 2026
(b) March 2027
(c) March 2030
(d) August 2047
5. Who chaired the 21st Maritime State Development Council meeting?
(a) Nitin Gadkari
(b) Ashwini Vaishnaw
(c) Sarbananda Sonowal
(d) Piyush Goyal
6. The Maritime Single Window portal is named:
(a) Sagar Setu
(b) Sagar Manthan
(c) Harit Sagar
(d) Sagar Mala
Answers: 1 – (b) | 2 – (d) | 3 – (c) | 4 – (b) | 5 – (c) | 6 – (a)
Conclusion
Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 sets a clear path for India to become a global maritime power by its 100th year of Independence. With the MSDC now adopting its targets and fixing a March 2027 deadline for uniform port processes, the Centre and coastal states are moving together to build bigger, greener and faster ports, a strong shipbuilding industry and a modern blue economy.
Sources: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; reports on the 21st Maritime State Development Council meeting, Mumbai (October 2026).