Day 1 — Foundations, Maritime Law & Management
Legal framework | Policy landscape | Port management | Fisheries impact assessment
Inaugural Ceremony & Keynote: Coastal Shipping Act 2025 — A Paradigm Shift in Domestic Maritime Policy
Lamp lighting. Welcome address by GMU Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) S. Shanthakumar. Keynote by senior DGMA representative. Context-setting: India's coastline has been revised to 11,098.81 km, it has 13 major ports, and there is an opportunity to shift 15–20% of surface freight to sea.
GMU Vice-Chancellor | DGMA (Guest of Honour) | Gujarat Maritime Board
Session 1: Decoding the Coastal Shipping Act 2025 — Provisions, Repeals & Compliance Architecture
Clause-by-clause walkthrough: vessel classification, cabotage provisions, licensing hierarchy, coastal zone definitions, and repeal of earlier ordinances. Focus on enforcement mechanisms, penalties, and transitional provisions.
DGMA | GMU
Session 2: Port Readiness & Supply-Chain Integration — Are India's Ports Ready?
Infrastructure gaps, berth availability, mechanisation, hinterland connectivity and the business case for PPP investment. CML presents logistics cost modelling for coastal-vs-road corridors.
Major Port Authority | Inland Waterways | IIT Gandhinagar | Logistics Industry Representative
Session 3: Fisheries at the Crossroads — Impact Assessment on Coastal Fishing Communities
CIFNET presents an analysis of how new registration norms apply to 4.2 million artisanal fishers (most under 20 GT). BOBP-IGO presents transboundary implications for Bay of Bengal fishers.
CIFNET Director | BOBP-IGO Programme | National Fisheries Development Board | Fisher Community Representative
Session 4: Panel Discussion — Cabotage, Foreign Vessels & India's Competitive Position
Panel debates whether protecting Indian-flag vessels at higher freight rates harms exporters and what UNCLOS/bilateral obligations require.
FIEO / Exporter Representative | Indian National Shipowners' Association | GMU | IMO Correspondent India
Cross-Track Synthesis: Day 1 Findings & Open Q&A
Rapporteurs from each track summarise key findings. Open floor discussion identifying consensus and tension across management, legal, and fisheries perspectives. Working groups formed for Day 2 breakout sessions.
All Track Rapporteurs | Open Q&A — All Delegates