A BIMSTEC Sustainable Maritime Transport Centre will soon be established under the Indian Ocean Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Maritime Transport (IOCE-SMarT) at the Maritime Training Institute in Powai, Mumbai. This initiative was announced by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, during the inaugural session of the second BIMSTEC Ports Conclave, hosted by the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) in Visakhapatnam on 14 July, 2025.

“The centre marks a significant step forward in operationalising the recently-signed BIMSTEC Agreement on Maritime Transport Cooperation (AMTC) and will act as a catalyst for harmonising maritime policies, advancing digital and green transformation, and building the skills and capacity of our maritime workforce,” Union Minister Sonowal stated. The centre aims to foster collaboration and innovation among member countries, reducing trade costs, enhancing connectivity, and positioning the Bay of Bengal as a vibrant and sustainable hub for regional and global trade.

The Minister highlighted that the BIMSTEC Ports Conclave would serve as a springboard for the sustainable development of port-led industrial clusters, saying: “The BIMSTEC Ports Conclave stands as a springboard to unlock the immense potential of the Blue Economy from the Bay of Bengal region.”