AMN / WEB DESK
President Droupadi Murmu has said that the challenges of climate catastrophe including rising temperatures and sea levels should be immediately addressed. President Friday asked the maritime sector to be “agile, proactive and swift” in adaptation and mitigation of climate change which risks disrupting livelihoods, particularly among vulnerable communities.
Delivering the special address at the Eighth convocation of the Indian Maritime University at Chennai, the President said that the coastal economy sustains over 4 million fishermen and India is the second largest fish-producing nation in the world. She emphasised the need for the maritime sector to be agile, proactive, and swift in adaptation and mitigation of climate change which risks disrupting livelihoods, particularly among vulnerable coastal communities.
The President pointed out that the Country’s maritime sector plays a vital role in its trade and economic growth.
The president said India has a remarkable marine position with a 7,500 km long coastline and 1,382 offshore islands. She added that India has 14,500 kilometers of potentially navigable waterways, apart from a strategic location on important maritime trade routes.
The country’s maritime sector plays a vital role in its trade and economic growth, as 95 per cent of the country’s trade by volume and 65 per cent of the trade by value is undertaken through maritime transport.
”The coastal economy sustains over 4 million fishermen and India is the second largest fish-producing nation in the world with a fleet of about 2,50,000 fishing boats,” she said.
”Before we can fully exploit the potential of this sector, we will have to overcome several challenges,” she said, adding that a lot of container ship cargo is diverted to nearby foreign ports due to depth restrictions.
Murmu noted that in the merchant and civilian shipbuilding industry, the country needs to aim for the highest standards of efficiency, efficacy and competitiveness. She highlighted that the operational efficiency and turnaround time of Indian ports need to match the global average benchmarks.
The president added that the Indian ports must address infrastructural and operational challenges before they graduate to the next level. She stated that the Sagarmala programme is a significant move away from “port development” to “port-led development”.