India's maritime sector has made a strong debut at the Shipbuilding, Machinery and Marine Technology (SMM) 2026 trade fair from September 1-4.
Helmed by a delegation from Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) led by its Secretary, Vijay Kumar, the Indian side participated in a series of events with the German side in a bid to boost cooperation and knowledge exchange in the maritime sector.
This includes a visit to the HHLA Container Terminal Altenwerder (CTA), said to be one of the most advanced automated container terminals in the world, as well as the EUROGATE Container Terminal in Hamburg, which sparked discussions on scaling port operations, boosting terminal efficiency, and adopting advanced technologies.
The SMM 2026 also the Indian side oversee a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the German Maritime Centre (DMZ) and the Indian Maritime Centre (IMC), marking a big win for India-Germany relations, in general.
New IRS office
However, it was a series of developments for other Indian delegations at Hamburg that stole the show, including the Indian Register of Shipping (IRS) announcing that it was opening its own office here, as part of its efforts to expand its international footprint as a member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), especially in Europe.
"Our objective is to build closer relationships with the maritime industry, facilitate access to India’s growing shipbuilding ecosystem and support the adoption of advanced technologies," explained Arun Sharma, Executive Chairman, IRS.
GRSE's twin MoUs
Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineering (GRSE) inked two separate Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) based on technology transfers, capability building, and boosting ties, among other objectives.
The first MoU, signed with the Det Norske Veritas (DNV), one of the world's leading classification societies and an IACS member, will focus on scaling up the capabilities of the Navratna PSU.
This collaboration will see GRSE bring up its technical know-how in warship design and marine engineering, and the DNV put in its expertise in sustainable shipping and skill development.
The second MoU, signed with Dutch maritime firm Damen Technical Cooperation B.V, builds on the existing contract between the two, under which GRSE has been constructing a $16.6 million Trailing Suction Hopper Dredger (TSHD) with a capacity of 1,000 cubic metres for the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).
This MoU will see the two sides work together on advanced dredger design and technology, tech transfers, joint construction proposals, and boost long-term business cooperation.
Chowgule Shipyard's new orders
Chowgule Shipyard then bagged an order from Norway’s Green Maritime Infrastructure Group (GMI) for two zero-emission bulk carriers in a major win for not just the Make in India initiative, but also green shipping.
The contract for the two 3,000-dwt vessels comes as the yard is finishing up a 12-vessel order for hybrid-powered vessels for Finnish firm ESL Shipping.
The GMI vessels will be powered by hydrogen fuel cells and fitted with marine batteries for port operations, a Tradewinds report said, adding that the yard's orderbook with Europe currently stands at 24, with most being diesel/battery hybrid vessels.
