{"id":20589,"date":"2026-02-25T14:44:25","date_gmt":"2026-02-25T09:14:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/?p=20589"},"modified":"2026-02-25T14:45:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-25T09:15:24","slug":"union-minister-sarbananda-sonowal-launches-over-%e2%82%b91500-crore-projects-at-voc-port-boosting-green-digital-maritime-infrastructure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/?p=20589","title":{"rendered":"Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Launches Over \u20b91,500 Crore Projects at VOC Port, Boosting Green & Digital Maritime Infrastructure"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Launches Over \u20b91,500 Crore Projects at VOC Port, Boosting Green & Digital Maritime Infrastructure<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n


\nSarbananda Sonowal inaugurated Maritime Heritage Museum at VOC Port, Anchors Tamilnadu\u2019s coastal legacy<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cGreen Hydrogen, Digital Twin and Outer Harbour Projects Propel VOC Port into Next-Gen Maritime Hub\u201d: Sarbananda Sonowal<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sarbananda Sonowal Unveils India\u2019s First Digital Twin Deployment at VOC Port, Says Advanced Tech and Anti-Drone Systems Will Redefine Port Security and Efficiency<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Posted On: 23 FEB 2026 6:00PM by PIB Delhi<\/strong><\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), Sarbananda Sonowal\u00a0inaugurated and\u00a0laid the foundation\u00a0of projects worth more than \u20b91,500 crore at V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port),\u00a0Tuticorin,\u00a0marking a major expansion of infrastructure, renewable energy integration and digital modernisation at the port.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

A key highlight of the event was the inauguration of the VOC Maritime Heritage Museum, an immersive institution dedicated to India\u2019s maritime legacy and the contribution of freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaranar. The museum has been conceived as a cultural and educational landmark for southern Tamil Nadu and is expected to promote tourism, community engagement and awareness of the Coromandel Coast\u2019s maritime history.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sonowal\u00a0also inaugurated and laid foundation stones for projects spanning rail and road connectivity upgrades, power infrastructure enhancement, renewable energy integration \u2014 including solar, wind, battery storage and green hydrogen production \u2014 advanced safety systems and digital platforms.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe projects reflect the government\u2019s focus on port-led development under\u00a0Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u00a0ji\u2019s Maritime Vision 2047 and aim to strengthen VOC Port\u2019s position as a green and technologically advanced maritime hub\u201d,\u00a0Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal\u00a0remarked.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Adding further,\u00a0Sonowal\u00a0said, \u201cThese landmark projects are a direct reflection of the dynamic and visionary leadership of\u00a0Prime Minister Narendra Modi\u00a0ji. Under his guidance, India\u2019s ports are being transformed into engines of growth, innovation and global competitiveness, driving our journey toward a self-reliant, green and technologically advanced maritime sector.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

The event builds on recent milestones at the port, including the commissioning of three new berths in the past 18 months. Among them is North Cargo Berth-III, dedicated by Prime Minister Modi in July 2025, which has expanded bulk cargo capacity. Work is also progressing on the Outer Harbour project, designed to handle larger vessels and increase trade volumes.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

VOC Port has emerged as a leader in sustainable maritime operations and became the first Indian port to produce and use green hydrogen on-site. A pilot project has been operational since late 2025, with plans for commercial-scale development by 2029. Officials said integrated renewable initiatives, green methanol facilities and partnerships in e-ammonia and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) are positioning the port as a future-ready green fuel bunkering center.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

On the technology front, the port has deployed India\u2019s first comprehensive Digital Twin platform for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance and data-driven optimisation. An anti-drone system has also been installed to strengthen security of critical infrastructure.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Sonowal\u00a0further added, \u201cAt V.O.C. Port, initiatives such as the Outer Harbour project, shipbuilding development and comprehensive green energy measures will reshape the economic landscape of the region and strengthen its position as a major transshipment hub. Guided by Prime Minister Modi\u2019s Maritime Vision 2047, these efforts will promote inclusive growth, sustainability and establish India as a global maritime powerhouse.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

It is expected that the projects will reduce logistics costs, accelerate industrial growth across the Tuticorin, Tirunelveli and Madurai districts, attract new investments and generate significant employment opportunities. The Maritime Heritage Museum is also expected to enhance tourism and contribute to the overall socio-economic development of the region,\u00a0Sonowal\u00a0said.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Operational performance has improved alongside these developments. From April 2025 to January 2026, cargo handling rose 6% to 35.97 million tonnes, including a record 4 million tonnes in January alone. Container volumes increased 9.4% to more than 716,000 TEUs, driven by process reforms, additional equipment and expanded storage capacity.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

With ongoing investments in infrastructure, sustainability, digital innovation and port-led industrialisation, VOC Port is consolidating its position as a major maritime gateway on India\u2019s eastern seaboard and a model for green and secure port development.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Susanta Kumar Purohit, Chairperson, VOC Port Authority, added: \u201cBy prioritising world-class infrastructure, cutting-edge digitisation, ambitious green innovation, and port-led industrialisation including shipbuilding, VOC Port is strengthening its pivotal role in regional prosperity and national development.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Earlier this month, the port hosted a pre-event on artificial intelligence in ports and presented a session titled \u201cAI-Powered Ports: Reimagining Efficiency and Operations\u201d at the IndiaAI Impact Summit.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal Launches Over \u20b91,500 Crore Projects at VOC Port, Boosting Green & Digital Maritime Infrastructure Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated Maritime Heritage Museum at VOC Port, Anchors Tamilnadu\u2019s coastal legacy \u201cGreen Hydrogen, Digital Twin and Outer Harbour Projects Propel VOC Port into Next-Gen Maritime Hub\u201d: Sarbananda Sonowal Sarbananda Sonowal Unveils India\u2019s First Digital Twin …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20590,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20589"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20589\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20592,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20589\/revisions\/20592"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/theeducationoverview.in\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}