Aadni Ports sets up Port of Refuge, India’s first, to boost maritime safety

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), which handles nearly 27% of India’s port cargo volumes, said it has operationalised India’s first Port of Refuge (PoR), addressing a long-standing gap in maritime emergency infrastructure and creating a structured mechanism to handle maritime emergencies and vessels in distress.

A PoR, as defined by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), is a designated location where ships can seek shelter to stabilise conditions, protect life and limit environmental damage.

The initiative is backed by a tripartite memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SMIT Salvage, the salvage and emergency response division of Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) and the Maritime Emergency Response Centre (MERC).

The capability will support vessels insured under the International Group of Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Clubs, aligning with global maritime risk and liability frameworks.

While such frameworks are standard in major maritime economies, India had not formalised one until now.

APSEZ said it will designate two sites as PoR: Dighi Port [near Mumbai] on the west coast, supporting traffic across the Arabian Sea and routes to the Persian Gulf and Gopalpur Port [in Odisha] on the east coast, serving vessels in the Bay of Bengal and routes towards the Malacca Strait, one of the world’s busiest maritime trade corridors.

The facilities will provide salvage and wreck removal, firefighting, pollution containment and emergency coordination services through specialised equipment and trained response teams.

“This milestone marks a significant step in strengthening India’s maritime safety ecosystem,” said Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), APSEZ.