Sarbananda Sonowal Hails SCI as Anchor of India's Maritime & Shipbuilding Ambitions
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, 02 October, 2026: Mumbai Port Authority declared its Jawahar Dweep Marine Oil Terminal plastic-free, a milestone in the port's push toward more sustainable operations. The declaration came during Swachhata Abhiyan 2026, a cleanliness program held at Grey Gate, Indira Dock, Mumbai to mark the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal led the event, while Dr. M. Angamuthu, Chairperson of Mumbai Port Authority (MbPA), and Deputy Chairman Ravish Kumar Singh along with other officials.
The plastic-free status for Jawahar Dweep, one of the port's key oil terminals, reflects a broader effort to cut single-use plastic across Mumbai Port's operations. The authority said it would continue pushing similar reductions at its docks, residential colonies and coastal areas through the year.
Sonowal said cleanliness remained central to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for the Swachh Bharat Mission, and praised the port authority's continuing work on plastic reduction and waste management.
"A plastic-free Jawahar Dweep is proof that India's ports can grow and stay clean at the same time. Under the vision of our dynamic Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Swachh Bharat has become a way of working, not just a day we observe, and our Safai Karmis are the ones who make that vision real, every single day, at every port in this country," Sarbananda Sonowal said.
The program opened with the lighting of a lamp and floral tribute to Gandhi, followed by the Swachhata Pledge. A short film on the port's Swachh Bharat initiatives over the past year was screened before Sonowal felicitated the port's Safai Karmis for their role in keeping the port clean and operational.
The Union Minister spent time speaking directly with the Safai Karmis about their experiences, followed by a tea reception held in their honour. Sonowal also dedicated the port's Oil Spill Response, or OSR, facilities to the nation during the program.
The event closed with a cleanliness drive led by Sonowal across several port locations, including the area south of 18ID, the OSR facilities and a sea-cleaning activity, the wharf at the BPX North Area, and a mooring staff toilet facility, a hands-on demonstration, officials said, of the day's pledge.
Angamuthu said Swachhata Abhiyan offered an opportunity to recognise the daily contribution of the port's sanitation workforce and reaffirm its commitment to sustainable, responsible operations alongside continued operational growth.
Mumbai Port Authority said it remains committed to furthering Modi's Swachh Bharat vision, with sustainability and employee welfare continuing to be built into its everyday functioning.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal called on the Shipping Corporation of India (SCI) to take a leading role in India's drive toward self-reliant, globally competitive shipbuilding and maritime capacity, as the company marked 65 years of operations at a ceremony at the International Cruise Terminal, Mumbai today.
Sarbananda Sonowal, who attended as the chief guest at the event, congratulated SCI on completing six and a half decades of service to the nation and highlighted the company's role in safeguarding India's energy and trade security, pointing specifically to its performance during the recent Strait of Hormuz crisis. The Union Minister called on SCI to help advance the government's Viksit Bharat and Atmanirbhar Bharat goals, framing a stronger national fleet as central to India's ambition of becoming a top shipbuilding and ship-owning nation by 2047.
"SCI is one of the clearest examples of India building its own strength at sea," Sonowal said. "As India works to become a top shipbuilding nation under Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, SCI's fleet, its people and its partnerships will be central to that mission."
