Pratik Bijlani –
The Grand Finale of the 62nd National Maritime Day Celebrations was held on April 5 at the Bharat Ratnam Mega Common Facilitation Centre in Mumbai. This event marked the culmination of the Merchant Navy Week celebrations that ran from March 30 to April 5, organized by the National Maritime Day (Central) Committee under the Directorate General of Shipping and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. The theme “Samriddha Sagar – Viksit Bharat Evam Neel Arth aur Harit Vikas Ke Liye Yuva” or “Prosperous Seas – Developed India and Youth for Blue Economy and Green Growth” highlighted the role of youth in driving India’s maritime sustainability and progress.
The event commemorated the historic first voyage of SS Loyalty, the first Indian-owned merchant vessel, which embarked on its journey from Mumbai to London on April 5, 1919. Mr T K Ramachandran, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, emphasized the significance of this milestone, saying, “Every year, on this very day, the 5th of April, we commemorate a historic milestone—the international voyage of SS Loyalty, the first Indian-owned merchant vessel, which sailed from Mumbai to London in 1919. This momentous event marked India’s entry into the modern international shipping arena and laid the foundation for our nation’s strong maritime legacy.”
The finale was graced by eminent dignitaries, including Mr Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Director General of Shipping, and Mr Dnyaneshwar Patil, Development Commissioner of SEEPZ, among others. Capt. BK Tyagi, CMD of The Shipping Corporation of India Limited, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the contributions of youth to the maritime sector and the government’s initiatives in enabling their growth.
Mr Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon’ble Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, shared his vision for India’s maritime future in a video message, stating, “Under the guidance and vision of Honourable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, India’s maritime industry is making comprehensive progress. With the help of strong policy directives, we are trying to extend all the required support to facilitate Indian seafarers in maritime trade.”
The event also recognized excellence within the maritime industry. The prestigious Sagar Samman Varuna Award was conferred upon Capt. Rajesh Madhavan Unni for his outstanding contributions to India’s maritime sector, while Capt. Anmol Kumar Srivastava was awarded the Sagar Samman Award for Gallantry. Maritime training institutes, ship-owning companies, and Indian ports were also felicitated for their exemplary performance.
Another highlight was the introduction of the National Maritime Games, held for the first time this year. Winners across a variety of indoor and outdoor sports were celebrated, reflecting the community’s enthusiasm and commitment to holistic growth. Cultural performances by cadets from various maritime training institutes added vibrancy to the event, making it a memorable occasion for all attendees.
The program concluded with nostalgic videos showcasing visit to former Secretaries and Director Generals of Shipping, along with glimpses of National Maritime Day celebrations across India. The Directorate General of Shipping reaffirmed its commitment to advancing initiatives in shipbuilding, e-governance, and opportunities for women seafarers. As India celebrates 75 years of the Directorate General of Shipping, the event underscored its rich legacy and ambitious vision for a sustainable maritime future.
Marex Media
Recognition of Outstanding stakeholders in Maritime industry
| Sr. No. | Name of the NMDC Award | Recommendations |
| 1 | Recognition For Outstanding Maritime Training Institutes | |
| 1.1 | Pre-sea training institutes conducting courses for Officer Cadets (Nautical & Engineering). | a) Samundra Institute of Maritime Studies, Lonavala- 1st Rank b) Anglo Eastern Maritime Academy (A Division of Anglo Eastern Institute)-2nd Rank c) Training Ship Rahaman – 3rd Rank |
| 1.2 | Post-sea training institutes conducting Competency Courses. | a) Hindustan Institute of Maritime Training, Tidal Park, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai – 1st Rank b) Hindustan Institute of Maritime Training, Kilpauk, Tamilnadu – 2nd Rank c) FOSMA Maritime Institute And Research Organisations, Kolkata – 3rd Rank |
| 2 | Recognition of outstanding Indian Employers of Seafarers | 1) The Shipping Corporation of India (SCI)- 1st Rank 2) Columbia Aurus Ship Management Private Limited- 2nd Rank |
| 3 | Recognition of outstanding Foreign Employers of Indian Seafarers | |
| Shipboard berth above 1000 GT | 1) Anglo Eastern Ship Management Pvt Ltd– 1st Rank 2)Synergy Maritime Pvt Ltd -2nd Rank 3) Elegant Marine Services Pvt. Ltd – 3rd Rank | |
| 4 | Recognition of outstanding Indian Ports | |
| outstanding Indian Ports | 1)Kamarajar Port Ltd- 1st Rank 2)Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA)- 2nd Rank | |
| 5 | Recognition of outstanding Indian Terminals | |
| outstanding Indian Terminals | 1)PSA Mumbai (Bharat Mumbai Container Terminals Pvt. Ltd.)- 1st Rank 2)DP World Nhava Sheva- 2nd Rank | |
| 6 | Recognition of outstanding Indian Ship-owning Companies | |
| outstanding Indian Ship-owning Companies | 1) The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd- 1st Rank 2) Seven Island Shipping Ltd.- 2nd Rank 3) Ocean Sparkle Limited & Adani Harbour Services Limited- 3rd Rank | |
Prize winners of National Maritime Games-2025
| S.N. | GAMES | CATEGORY | GOLD |
| 1 | Table Tennis | TT Singles | SANJAY PATANKAR, MPA |
| TT Doubles | Pankaj Kadoo and Sunil Kelkar, MPA | ||
| 2 | Swimming | Male | Vanshraj Khanna, Tolani |
| Girls | Bhakti Zemse, NYK | ||
| 3 | Badminton | Singles | Ifitar Alom, IMU NMC |
| Badminton | Doubles | Ajay Moghe & Prashant, JN Ports | |
| 4 | Futsal | Parthiv June, Abhinav, Akhilesh Lobo, Jerson June from HIMT | |
| 5 | Carrom | Singles | Sandeep Jadhav, Anglo Eastern |
| Double | Sandeep Jadhav and Girish Nachne, Anglo Eastern | ||
| 6 | Pickle Ball | Yousuf And Omkar, TS Rahman | |
| 7 | Chess | Rishi Jha, IMU NMC | |
| 8 | Athletics-100 mtrs | Women Below 30 | Diya Dilip, TMI |
| Athletics-100 mtrs | Men Below 30 | Vishal Varma, TMI | |
| 9 | Relay-4 x 100 mtrs | Mens | SIMS |
| Relay-4 x 100 mtrs | Women | TOLANI | |
| 10 | Rowing | Women | Parvathy Manoj, IMU NMC |
| Men | Gaurav Kumar, Menet | ||
| 11 | GOLF | Winner Over all | Jaywant Chaudhary |
| 12 | Darts | Sachin Pandit, SCI | |
| 13 | Cricket | Winner | NUSI |
| 14 | Cricket | Exhibition match Women | IMU Chennai |