India's maritime sector to mirror post-1991 road revolution: DCIL CEO

Time of India

17-05-2025

DCIL CEO Durgesh Kumar Dubey
Just as roads transformed post-1991, the next 20 years will belong to India's maritime sector, with dredging playing a critical role, said
Durgesh Kumar Dubey
, deputy chairman of
Visakhapatnam Port
Authority and managing director and CEO of
Dredging Corporation of India Limited
(DCIL).
The Dredging India Conclave 2025, hosted by FICCI, convened leading voices from the maritime and infrastructure ecosystem to discuss the future of dredging and its role in realising India's maritime potential.
Speaking at the event, Dubey traced India's infrastructure evolution from post-liberalisation reforms to today's ambitious maritime initiatives. Reflecting on his personal experiences in Indian Railways and national infrastructure growth, he explained how early initiatives like the Golden Quadrilateral and Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana laid the groundwork for today's robust logistics and connectivity framework.
'This small program by FICCI is a step forward for a big leap in the maritime sector,' he said.
Dubey also highlighted transformative initiatives such as the dedicated freight corridor and the recently announced Rs 25,000 crore
maritime development Fund
, along with the creation of Sagar Mala Development Corporation Ltd. (now an NBFC), as key enablers of growth in the sector.
He cited Visakhapatnam Port as a case study of port-led industrialisation, where strategic port infrastructure catalysed industrial growth attracting major companies like HPCL, RINL, and AMNS.
'Ports like Visakhapatnam have enabled the creation of industrial hubs supported by seamless road, rail, and air connectivity; this is the power of port-led growth,' Dubey said.
Highlighting the dual nature of the dredging sector—capital dredging at major ports and smaller maintenance dredging—he said that both are vital for national development. As the head of DCIL, Dubey reaffirmed the company's commitment to expanding its dredger fleet, including the upcoming TSHD Godavari (12,000 m³), and looking beyond India into high-demand regions like the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
'There is a massive demand for dredging capacity, not only from new ports like Vizhinjam in Kerala or Galathea Bay in Nicobar but also from industries building their own captive ports across India,' he added.
Dubey drew attention to the untapped potential of inland dredging, especially for reservoirs and canals suffering from siltation, which reduces water holding and flood management capacities. With aging dams across the country, he urged fleet manufacturers and contractors to focus on developing smaller suction and cutter dredgers tailored for inland water bodies.
'This sector is growing fast. With the government's focus on inland silt management, there's recurring demand that can't be ignored. Waterways are the most cost-effective and eco-friendly means of transport and maintaining them is both a business opportunity and a national imperative,' he said.
Dubey also mentioned upcoming government meetings with key ministries to align efforts on this front, indicating a coordinated push towards waterway and reservoir dredging.
He also made an open call for partnerships and investments in India's dredging sector. He spoke about the need for capable contractors, innovative technologies, and aligned private-public collaboration to achieve national maritime goals.
'DCI is ready to lead, but we need partners—investors, contractors, manufacturers—because without last-mile connectivity and execution support, our collective efforts may fall short,' he concluded.
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