Pratik Bijlani – The Royal Bombay Seamen’s Society (RBSS) marked a significant milestone in its long history of seafarer welfare with the inauguration of the newly refurbished rooms at the Prince of Wales Seamen’s Club in Ballard Estate, Mumbai. The event brought together senior maritime leaders, welfare representatives and members of the shipping community to…
Dr Radhika Vakharia – No alien to expending her time, passion and energies on motor drives through the country, Ms Suchita Javadekar is now a veteran of repute in the maritime industry who has proved to be an effective messenger for raising awareness of both, the merchant navy as well as early cancer detection in…
Pratik Bijlani – A remarkable initiative led by Capt. Sanjay Prashar, CEO of VR Maritime Services Pvt. Ltd., is creating new opportunities for young people from rural Himachal Pradesh by connecting them with careers in the Merchant Navy. Through a combination of awareness programmes, transparent recruitment practices, and industry partnerships, more than 105 youths from…
Dr Radhika Vakharia – As someone involved in maritime mental health, wellbeing, and psychological safety, I have observed with interest the strong reactions generated by a recent social media reel that quickly found its way into various maritime WhatsApp groups and online discussions. The intensity of the responses indicates that our industry is becoming increasingly…
Mrs Tarangini S. Vakil, Director (Finance) of the HIMT Group of Institutions, was recently honoured with the prestigious The Marex Maritime Women-Empowerment Awards (MMWA) 2026 in the category Excellence in Business Impact at the 5th Edition of WIMCA 2026 held in Mumbai. The recognition celebrated her significant contribution towards the growth and development of HIMT…
Pratik Bijlani – Amid the leadership discussions, industry conversations, and celebrations of women shaping the maritime sector at WIMCA 2026 on 16th May, one of the most touching moments of the event came through a quiet yet powerful display of creativity created by autistic and neurodiverse children connected to the maritime fraternity. Organised with the…
The approval of the Bharat Maritime Insurance Pool (“BMIP”) by the Union Cabinet with a sovereign guarantee reportedly amounting to approximately ₹12,980 crore marks one of the most ambitious maritime policy interventions undertaken by India in recent decades. Official governmental communications issued through the Press Information Bureau and Prime Minister’s Office frame the initiative as…
SHM Group (SHM), one of the foremost companies in shipbuilding, ship management, and maritime safety, successfully launched Ocean Crewzer 8 (Y-410) at its shipyard in Mumbai. Built entirely with aluminium, Ocean Crewzer 8 is a 29 metre high-speed passenger craft, designed to meet the requirements of India’s waterway operations. This emphasizes the indigenous spirit of…
Pratik Bijlani – The National Maritime Day Celebrations (NMDC) Committee, under the aegis of the Directorate General of Shipping, commemorated the International Day for Women in Maritime on 18th May at the Maritime Training Institute (MTI) in Powai, Mumbai, bringing together maritime leaders, policymakers, educators, seafarers and cadets to celebrate the growing contribution of women…
Pratik Bijlani – Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal chaired a high-level review meeting of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways following the Prime Minister-led Council of Ministers meeting, outlining an ambitious reform-driven agenda aimed at accelerating India’s maritime transformation in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Viksit Bharat 2047” vision. The meeting focused on strengthening…