India and the Netherlands signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and a Letter of Intent (LoI) to enhance maritime cooperation and establish a Green and Digital Sea Corridor at the India Maritime Week 2025 (IMW 2025) in Mumbai.
This comes amid a directive from the parliament in the Netherlands to work closely with India for geopolitical reasons, explained Robert Tieman, Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management of the Netherlands, as per an Indian Express report.
"We have set up missions. We are not here for the short stay but for a durable relationship. We have done it in the past, but we need to raise it up to the next level,” Tieman, who is in Mumbai for the IMW 2025, added, as per the report.
Notably, one of the most recent examples of Indian-Dutch maritime collaborations was the 12,000 cubic metre 'DCI Dredge Godavari', India's largest Trailer Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD). This vessel, developed jointly by Cochin Shipyard and Dutch shipbuilder Royal IHC, was launched on October 18.
The proposed Green and Digital Sea Corridor will connect Indian ports with the Rotterdam Port, boosting maritime connectivity, as well as shipbuilding and ship repair between the two nations.
This initiative is also expected to give an impetus for green energy use—through the use of fuels such as hydrogen, ammonia, and methanol—and bring about more innovation in digital port operations and logistics.
Tieman also stated that the initiative arose from the Netherlands' larger focus on selected strategic nations, adding that the maritime manufacturing industry was a key part of the Netherlands' maritime agenda with these nations.
Various other MoUs were signed between Indian and Dutch institutions to boost cooperation in maritime financing, conduct research on green shipping technologies, add to India's Maritime Development Fund, and exchange valuable information.
The IMW 2025 also saw the launch of a Dutch-funded report by KPMG, titled 'Indian Ports: Enabling Smart and Sustainable Port Development', which provides a comprehensive evaluation of India's port infrastructure and highlights opportunities for sustainable growth.