The Indian Maritime University (IMU) has emerged as one of the world’s top 10 maritime universities and the highest-ranked maritime institution in India over the past 12 years, Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said during a review meeting held here today.
Sonowal said IMU has evolved from a predominantly classroom-based institution into a modern maritime university with a strong focus on research, innovation and industry collaboration. Closer engagement with the maritime industry has helped align academic programmes with evolving sectoral requirements, making curricula more industry-oriented and future-ready, he said.
Infrastructure and Innovation
The minister said sustained investments have strengthened IMU’s academic infrastructure through modern libraries, advanced simulators and improved student facilities, while also fostering a culture of innovation. Key growth indicators highlighted during the meeting include:
- Patents increased from one to seven
- IMU-CET registrations rose to 73,395 from 14,751 in 2014
- Girl cadet enrolment increased 18-fold
- Technical consultancy projects grew from three, worth Rs 63.94 lakh, in 2014 to 16 projects valued at Rs 10.78 crore
- Since 2021, IMU has established 22 domestic and four international industry partnerships, along with 20 domestic and 14 international academic collaborations
Sonowal described the rise in girl cadet enrolment as a significant milestone in making the maritime sector more inclusive and accessible, and said IMU has also integrated the objectives of the National Education Policy 2020 into its curriculum while expanding engagement with state maritime boards and private industry partners to deliver demand-driven skill development programmes.
Workforce Development Push
“Human capital is the foundation of India’s maritime future. We are building a robust ecosystem where industrial training institutes, shipyards, academia and industry work together to create a world-class workforce that will drive India’s shipbuilding ambitions and realise the vision of Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047,” Sonowal said.
Stressing that skilled human resources will be the cornerstone of India’s emergence as a global shipbuilding powerhouse, Sonowal said continuous investments in maritime education, practical training and industry-oriented skilling are essential to achieving the country’s long-term maritime goals. He proposed organising a nationwide Maritime Skilling Fair to raise awareness among young people about career opportunities in the maritime sector and expand the talent pipeline for India’s blue economy.
Future Plans
Sonowal said the next phase of IMU’s growth will be defined by world-class infrastructure, cutting-edge research and future-ready skilling. The university plans to modernise its Mumbai Port and Kolkata Port campuses, establish Centres of Excellence in Shipbuilding and Maritime Skills, deepen research partnerships with industry and leading global institutions, and introduce specialised training in emerging technologies.
He urged all stakeholders to work with renewed urgency to achieve India’s maritime and shipbuilding targets, saying coordinated efforts across government, academia and industry are critical to improving India’s position in global shipbuilding.
The meeting was attended by Vijay Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Malini V Shankar, Chairperson, IMU, among other senior officials.
