Ahmedabad: The Union Budget provisions will further boost the growth of the maritime sector in the state, according to the officials of the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB). “Gujarat has a strong base for shipbuilding and, with the Budget provisions, the sector will grow rapidly,” a top official of the GMB said on Tuesday.The Budget announcements cover coastal shipping, shipbuilding, defence maritime infrastructure, container manufacturing, inland waterways, multimodal connectivity, and maritime financing — areas of direct relevance to port-led states such as Gujarat.According to the GMB, Gujarat, with the longest coastline in the country, a large number of operational non-major ports, and strong industrial hinterland connectivity, stands to directly benefit from the maritime-focused initiatives announced in Union Budget 2026.Dr Ajay Kumar, IAS, the vice-chairman and CEO of GMB, said, “The Union Budget 2026-27 provides a powerful impetus to India’s maritime sector, with a clear focus on coastal shipping, port-led infrastructure, shipbuilding and sustainable logistics. These initiatives strongly resonate with Gujarat’s maritime vision and further reinforce Gujarat’s position as the nation’s leading maritime and logistics hub.”The Budget made provisions for the Shipbuilding Financial Assistance Scheme and the National Shipbuilding Mission and set a target to increase the combined share of coastal shipping and inland waterways in total freight movement from the current 6% to 12% by 2047.“The emphasis on coastal shipping and inland waterways is particularly relevant for Gujarat, where presently a significant share of 10% of cargo, covering bulk and liquid cargo from GMB ports, already moves through coastal routes. The proposed national target aligns with Gujarat’s operational experience in handling coastal cargo across multiple ports,” said officials.The allocations for shipbuilding, ship repair, and defence maritime infrastructure are also significant for Gujarat, which already hosts one of India’s largest shipbuilding facilities by capacity at Pipavav and has an established ecosystem of shipyards, engineering units, and marine service providers.According to senior officials, the Budget provisions are closely aligned with GMB initiatives, such as planning for the development of multiple shipbuilding clusters, including facilities for defence and commercial vessels, and the promotion of port-led industrialisation and logistics efficiency across the state.
