Odisha showcases maritime vision & investment roadmap

Bhubaneswar: Showcasing Odisha’s ancient seafaring legacy and its modern port-led ambitions, chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday highlighted the state’s expansive blue economy roadmap at the inaugural session of India Maritime Week 2025 in Mumbai.Addressing a global audience in the presence of Union home minister Amit Shah, Majhi positioned Odisha as a rising anchor in India’s eastern maritime resurgence. “Odisha is committed to building a strong port-led economy that will transform our coastline into engines of trade, industry, and employment — driving India’s growth journey for the next 25 years,” the CM said.Odisha govt agencies signed MoUs worth Rs 5,800 crore during the event, pushing the state’s maritime investment tally past Rs 50,000 crore in just two months.

Among the key agreements was a pact between the Odisha Maritime Board and Paradip Port Authority for the development of an international cruise terminal in Puri, aimed at boosting coastal tourism and global connectivity.Speaking during a special Odisha session, Majhi outlined the state’s long-term maritime vision to expand total port handling capacity to 500 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by 2047, from the current nearly 400 MTPA, develop 14 non-major ports, and launch two transformational projects — the Rs 21,500 crore Bahuda port and a Rs 24,700 crore shipbuilding and repair cluster at the Mahanadi river mouth, for which MoUs were signed last month.

“Odisha’s maritime strength is driving a new era of industrial and economic growth. With Paradip, Dhamra, Gopalpur and upcoming ports at Astaranga, Jatadhari Muhan, Subarnarekha and Bahuda, we are building a globally competitive ecosystem backed by stable governance, skilled manpower and investor-friendly reforms,” Majhi said.The CM emphasized that Odisha’s maritime roadmap goes beyond trade and logistics, integrating tourism, cruise development and blue economy opportunities along the coast of Bay of Bengal.

He met and interacted with leading industry representatives from the port and blue economy sectors, inviting them to explore investment opportunities and take advantage of Odisha’s rapidly developing maritime and coastal ecosystem.“Odisha’s vast coastline and strategic location make it the gateway to the East and a natural hub for maritime trade. Our govt is fully committed to developing world-class port infrastructure and promoting port-led industrialisation to strengthen Odisha’s position in the global maritime economy.

Guided by the vision of Purvodaya and Atmanirbhar Bharat, we are ensuring faster clearances, investor-friendly policies, and robust logistics connectivity to attract global partners.

Our focus remains on local employment, skill development, and inclusive growth so that the benefits of this transformation reach every citizen,” Majhi said.For Odisha, participation in IMW 2025 marked a strategic milestone, providing a platform to highlight the state’s port-led industrial potential, investment opportunities and coastal initiatives — strengthening partnerships that will accelerate the state’s emergence as the eastern maritime gateway of India, a govt official said.