The MoU was signed on September 1, 2026, in Hamburg during SMM 2026, one of the world’s leading maritime trade fairs. Representing the Indian Maritime Centre, Chairman Mr Devki Nandan Sharma and Director Mr Arjun Ashok Chowgule signed the agreement, while Dr Reinhard Lüken, Chairman, and Dr Matthias Catón, Managing Director, signed on behalf of the German Maritime Centre.   The signing ceremony was attended by senior representatives from the Government of India, the German Federal Government and the City of Hamburg, including Mr Vijay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India; Mr Raakesh Natraj, Consul General of India in Hamburg; Dr Melanie Leonhard, Senator for Economy, Labour and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg; and Dr Christoph Ploß, Member of the German Federal Parliament and Coordinator of the Federal Government for Maritime Business and Tourism.

Commenting on the partnership, Mr Devki Nandan Sharma, Chairman, IMC, said the strategic maritime partnership comes at an important time, with the India-EU Free Trade Agreement expected to take effect soon.

“For India, the partnership with Germany provides an opportunity to enhance trade and leverage Germany’s established maritime ecosystem and expertise to achieve its ambitious goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’. For Germany, India’s rapidly expanding maritime sector offers significant opportunities for cooperation, investment, technology exchange and business engagement in the world’s fastest-growing major economy,” he said.

Dr Matthias Catón, Managing Director, German Maritime Centre, highlighted the growing opportunities arising from India’s long-term maritime ambitions. “In its Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, India has set itself ambitious targets for its maritime sector. For example, it aims to become one of the world’s top five shipbuilding nations by 2047 and to expand its nationwide port capacity to 10,000 MTPA. This presents attractive opportunities for German companies. Given China’s dominance, particularly in shipbuilding, diversification is also in our geopolitical interest,” he said.   The new partnership is expected to facilitate greater engagement among maritime stakeholders in both countries, including industry, academia, research institutions and policymakers. It will also support the identification of potential areas for future cooperation, creating opportunities for knowledge sharing, technology exchange, investment and business collaboration.   The Indian Maritime Centre, established under the guidance of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways on September 27, 2024, serves as an apex integrated platform for India’s maritime sector. It brings together the government, industry, maritime professionals, experts, academia and maritime leaders on a common platform.   IMC supports the Government through research, policy inputs and expert recommendations while working to promote a unified and integrated maritime ecosystem. It also represents India’s maritime interests at national and international forums and seeks to enhance the country’s global maritime visibility.   With 41 members, including 11 directors, IMC is steadily expanding its network. Its future focus includes strengthening policy support, global representation, research, education, capacity building and business collaborations, contributing to India’s ambition of becoming a leading global maritime nation.

The MoU with the German Maritime Centre marks another step towards deepening India-Germany maritime relations and could open new avenues for cooperation across shipbuilding, ports, technology, research, skills and the wider maritime value chain.