TAMIL NADU STATE SESSION

India’s maritime vision targets >3,500 Million Metric Tonnes Per Annum (MMTPA) port capacity by 2030 and ~10,000 MMTPA by 2047, and river/coastal/international cruise roadmaps. Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 also sets a green ports pathway (shore power, electrification, fuels transition) to become carbon neutral by 2047, Within this, Tamil Nadu stands out as a top manufacturing and exports base (autos, glass, machinery, renewables, electronics, agriproducts and Leather), with three major ports (Chennai, Kamarajar, VOC/Tuticorin) and over 17 non-major ports under Tamil Nadu Maritime Board (TNMB) (e.g., Cuddalore, Nagapattinam, Thirukkadaiyur, Kattupalli). Tamil Nadu State Ports Development Policy-2023 puts strong focus on Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) and multi-port strategy, necessitates major highway and ring-road upgrades (e.g., CPRR), and connects industrial corridors (CBIC & CKIC), underpining the maritime-industry interface and “factory-to-port” velocity. Continuing the momentum from the Global Maritime India Summit (GMIS) 2023, wherein the Special Session on Tamil Nadu drew wide recognition and was adjudged the “Best State Session”, this edition builds on the transformative agenda for a green, digital, and inclusive maritime ecosystem supporting trade and industries, and promoting regional growth

29th October 2025

29th Oct | 10:00 AM ~ 12:30 PM

Hall No. 4, Bombay Exhibition Center, Goregaon, Mumbai

Theme 1: Tamil Nadu Ports: Gateway to Growth, Enabling Trade, Tourism & Industrial Corridors

Gateways to Growth: Tamil Nadu is the only coastal state having 3 major ports, viz. Kamarajar Port, Chennai Port & VOC Port, each of which has a pipeline of project for augmenting their annual cargo handling capacities to 171 MMTPA, 350 MTPA and 249 MTPA respectively. This capacity augmentation will ensure that these gateways to growth remain capacity ready and not capacity constrained to fuel and support next wave of industrialization in the state. Tourism & Culture: Tamil Nadu remains a top domestic tourism state, crossing 300 million domestic visits in 2024; while 2025 trajectory remains strong with 151 million during Jan to June of Calendar Year 2025. The Tourism Policy Note FY 2025–26 of GoTN retains key emphases on destination/corridor development, lighthouse and heritage products, TTDC services upgrades, digital marketing, skilling and PPP-led facility creation, including augmentation of coastal circuits (Chennai–Mamallapuram–Rameswaram–Kanyakumari) and curated Chola-to-ASEAN heritage cruises (Chennai–Colombo–Phuket–Langkawi–Singapore). The International Cruise Terminal (~3,200 sq.m) at Chennai Port is undergoing expansion to raise throughput from ~400 pax/hour to ~800 pax/hour. Operators are already undertaking Chennai-origin itineraries to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia and planning homeporting in Chennai as early as 2027. Through Lighthouse Tourism, India has transformed 75 lighthouses into tourist sites; Lighthouse tourism footfalls have risen from ~4 lakh (2014) to ~18.6 lakh by FY2024–25. Dhanushkodi and Marina (Madras) Lighthouses in Tamil Nadu offer strong vantage points for curated maritime heritage circuits. Factory Gate to Global Trade – Corridors and Connectivity: Corridor-grade road/rail connectivity improves reliability and time-to-port predictability, directly improving export competitiveness of textiles, autos, glass, machinery, and renewables hardware manufactured across Sriperumbudur–Oragadam–Trichy–Coimbatore belts. East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) phase-2 (Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor, CKIC) aligns TN’s port system with manufacturing clusters of the state. Chennai–Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC) master-planning highlights rail capacity upgrades, port-rail linkages, and a potential dedicated freight corridor interface to Chennai/Ennore ports. Road connectivity is augmented through Chennai Port–Maduravoyal elevated corridor which is being developed at full swing and is expected to get commissioned in early 2027. The 262-km Bengaluru–Chennai expressway is nearing completion with key stretches slated between Oct 2025 and Mar 2026—shortening end-to-end logistics times for exporters using Chennai/Kamarajar.

Theme 2: Tamil Nadu’s Next-Gen Maritime Industries: Shipbuilding, Clean Energy & Industrial Manufacturing

Shipbuilding: L&T Shipbuilding (Kattupalli) builds/repairs defense & commercial vessels; with capacity headroom for coastal, OSVs, patrol craft, and complex modules—critical for “Self-Reliant” nation. Now, HD Korea Shipbuilding & Offshore Engineering (HDKSOE) has expressed in establishing state-of-the-art shipbuilding on the coast of Tamil Nadu. While MIV 2030/MAKV 2047 emphasize ship repair ecosystems, fleet greening, that catalyze component/localization plays (batteries, fuel cells, power electronics), the progressive policies of the Tamil Nadu State have attracted foreign investors and industries. Clean Energy, Green Fuels & Offshore Winds: India’s Harit Sagar – Green Port Guidelines (May 2023) are the operating playbook for major ports. Guided by it, VOC Port (Tuticorin) has commissioned India’s first green hydrogen pilot (10 Nm³/hr) to power streetlights and EV charging points and laid foundation for a green methanol bunkering facility (750 m³) as pilot project for green shipping corridor. The port is simultaneously adding rooftop solar (currently ~1.04 MW) and is advancing a 6 MW wind project toward its net-zero mission. Sembcorp laid the foundation for a green ammonia facility targeting export to Japan—signaling coastal Tamil Nadu’s potential as a green fuel hub. TN’s wind manufacturing base (towers, blades, nacelle components) is expanding rapidly; Trichy has become a major towers/blades cluster, with MSMEs feeding OEMs. Global makers like Vestas and Nordex have organizational/operations presence in TN, aligning with export-ready port logistics. Industrial Manufacturing: TN’s Ports Policy-2023, industrial policies (EV/advanced chemistry), and GoI PLIs (Auto/Auto-Components, ACC Batteries, Solar, etc.)—together with corridor upgrades—reduce logistics friction and raise export intensity for TN’s manufacturing value chains. The partnership between HMIL (Hyundai) and Chennai Port resulted in export of 3.7 million vehicles to 150+ countries over the last 25 years; Saint-Gobain (World Glass Complex, Sriperumbudur), India’s largest integrated flat-glass hub, is supported by the routine feeding of raw material feed through ports. Oragadam plant of Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (BharatBenz) exports ~30% of its output of heavy trucks & buses. Likewise, Caterpillar, Renault and Nissan utilize the services of the ports in Chennai Region to connect their products globally.

Theme 1: Tamil Nadu Ports: Gateway to Growth, Enabling Trade, Tourism & Industrial Corridors, Time: 10:00 AM – 11:10 AM

Time	DESCRIPTION
10:00 AM - 10:05 AM	Welcome Address by Co-Convenor Shri T.N. Venkatesh, IAS, Vice Chairman & CEO, Tamil Nadu Maritime Board
10:05 AM 10:10 AM	Context Setting by Convenor Shri Sunil Paliwal, IAS, Chairman, Indian Ports Association, Chennai Port Authority & Kamarajar Port Limited
10:10 AM 10:22 AM	Key Note Address by the Session Chair Shri E.V. Velu, Hon’ble Minister for Public Works (Buildings, Highways & Minor Ports), Gov. of Tamil Nadu
10:22 AM 11:04 AM	Address by Speakers (7 min/speaker) Shri K. Manivasan, IAS, ACS, Tourism, GoTN 2. Dr. Darez Ahamed, IAS, MD & CEO, Guidance TN 3. Shri Rinkesh Roy, Jt. MD & CEO, JSW Infrastructure 4. Shri Ravishankar, MD, Mahathi Infra Services Pvt. Ltd. 5. Shri Jurgen Bailom, Pres. & CEO, Waterways Leisure Tourism 6. Shri Karthikeyan, GM, HMIL (Hyundai Motor India Ltd.)
11:04 AM 11:07 AM	Concluding Remarks (3 min) Shri Sunil Paliwal, IAS, Chairman, Indian Ports Association, Chennai Port Authority & Kamarajar Port Limited
11:07 AM 11:10 AM	Vote of Thanks (3 min) Shri S. Viswanathan, IAS, Dy. Chairman, Chennai Port

Theme 2: Tamil Nadu’s Next-Gen Maritime Industries: Shipbuilding, Clean Energy & Industrial Manufacturing. 11:20 AM – 12:30 PM

Time	DESCRIPTION
11:20 AM 11:26 AM	Welcome Address by Co-Convenor Shri Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chaiman, VOC Port Authority (Tuticorin)
11:26 AM 11:32 AM	Context Setting by Co-Convenor Shri V. Arun Roy, IAS, Secretary to GoTN (Industries, Investment Promotion & Commerce Department)
11:32 AM 11:44 AM	Key Note Address by the Session Chair Dr. T.R.B. Rajaa, Hon’ble Minister for Industries, Gov. of Tamil Nadu
11:44 AM 12:24 PM	Address by Speakers (8 min/speaker) 1. Shri H. Shankar, MD, CPCL 2. Shri Shri Muthu Maruthachalam C, President & Chief 3. Shri Paras Pal, Head Business Development, L&T Shipyard 4. Shri Bidyut Chakraborty, VP – Comm, SembCorp 5. Senior Representative – Komatsu - TBC
12:24 PM 12:30 PM	Concluding Remarks and Vote of Thanks by Convenor Shri Sunil Paliwal, IAS, Chairman, Indian Ports Association, Chennai Port Authority & Kamarajar Port Limited