Goa keen to develop green, export oriented shipbuilding sector: CM Sawant

PANAJI: The Goa regime seeks to evolve the tell as a hub for ship building to protect the say’s 40% market share in commercial shipbuilding and modernise the industry, chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday.Speaking at a state session at the India Maritime Week underway in Mumbai, Sawant also said that the state was preparing a masterplan to make Goa a model for green passenger and cargo movement.“We have set up the shipbuilding vision of 2037 to position Goa as a green, smart shipbuilding hub. A comprehensive shipbuilding policy will follow shortly. Goa’s yards already delivered sophisticated vessels for India and global clients including fully electric and hybrid craft,” Sawant said, according to a statement released by the state government.This plan supports the new tourism routes, modern fisheries infrastructure, shipyard expansion and robust maritime logistics strengthening the blue economy, he said, adding that water taxis and the ferry network, being upgraded in consultation with the Kochi Metro Ltd, would cut the travel time. Interstate services such as Goa-Mumbai are being explored, Sawant also said.Earlier, the Goa chapter of the CII asked the state government to position Goa as a strategic shipbuilding hub within India’s growing maritime sector.Goa presently holds the leading position in India’s commercial shipbuilding sector, contributing approximately 40% of the nation’s total commercial vessel deliveries as of September 2025.Goa’s shipbuilding industry, valued at ₹2,865 crore in FY24, has the potential to grow to ₹64,058 crore by FY37, contributing nearly 11% to Goa’s GSDP. With 3,000+ direct and 18,000+ indirect jobs, the sector is a critical pillar of Goa’s industrial economy.“Even though Goa holds a 40% market share of India’s commercial shipbuilding industry, it is 40% of a very small base. We want to ensure that Goa grows alongside India’s growth as a global shipbuilding powerhouse to sustain growth amid rising competition from other maritime states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh,” Arjun Chowgule, chairman of the CII Goa State Council, had said.Goa’s minister for river navigation said at the event that the state was in the process of installing ten floating jetties funded by the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).Phaldessai added that the feasibility study for water taxis was currently underway. “Such innovative transport solutions will bridge the communities, promote eco-friendly mobility and support integration with other modes like road and rail. The proposal of a Mumbai-Goa RoRo ferry is under active consideration of this government,” he said.