About Us

A Synergy of Maritime Opportunities

As the world focusses on a new era of trade across the seas, the Gujarat Maritime Cluster has emerged as the beacon of international maritime trade. The GMC is the first ever commercial Maritime Cluster of its kind in the country and has been envisioned as a synergetic collaboration. A one-stop solution for the maritime fraternity, that creates a dedicated, single-location ecosystem of maritime / shipping industry players and service providers, along with relevant Government regulatory agencies, at Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City), Gandhinagar – India’s first operational Smart City.

GMC epitomises the cluster, enables synergistic capabilities and creates exponential global growth opportunities.

MARITIME CLUSTERS CREATE A THRIVING, SYNERGETIC COLLABORATION AMONG PRIVATE AND THE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES UNDER A SINGLE ROOF. THE ‘SINGLE LOCATION’ GUJARAT MARITIME CLUSTER HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO CREATE A POSITIVE AND INTEGRATED WIN-WIN ECOSYSTEM FOR BUSINESSES ACROSS THE MARITIME INDUSTRY.

This will be the first-of-its-kind commercial maritime services cluster in India. It has been conceptualised to enhance competitiveness and self-sufficiency of India in the maritime sector and will provide a one-stop solution for the entire maritime fraternity.

Our Mission

To catalyse the growth of maritime sector in the region through creation of an eco-system of maritime / shipping services providers, associations and regulators co-existing and collaborating to deliver world-class services by ensuring :

  • Conducive policy and process framework for operation
  • Favourable business climate for development
  • Industry-research confluence for innovation
  • Visibility at national and international platforms for promotion

Our Vision

To evolve as a Global Maritime Cluster providing one-stop solution for all maritime services.

Value Proposition

The Maritime Zone with a Global Edge

Enabled by business-friendly policies and powerful infrastructure, GMC will accrue significant advantages to players in terms of taxation & fiscal benefits. This is in addition to the benefits entailed with GIFT SEZ & IFSC, transfer of technical know-how amongst the participants, possibility of joint marketing endeavours, better lobbying and bargaining power, improved perception of credibility in the market derived from a strong cluster brand, attraction & retention of talent and facilitation of better networking, amongst others.

Targeted Benefits

  • Distinct status & recognition for cluster members
  • Business development and alliance support for strategic partnerships
  • Ease in availability of professional services from various value chain actors registered in the cluster from across multiple maritime functions – Greater Bargaining and Lobbying Power
  • Ease in access to sectoral government regulatory agencies (viz. GMB, DG Shipping, etc.), thus facilitating Ease of Doing Business for cluster members
  • Taxation and Fiscal benefits entailed with GIFT City’s SEZ and IFSC; Other envisaged tax / policy reforms in Maritime Cluster
  • Facilitation of disputes resolution pertaining to maritime / shipping at the envisaged Alternate Dispute Resolution Centre in the Cluster at GIFT City
  • Unique opportunity for global / overseas maritime service providers to access Indian clients in a more secure and professional manner
  • Proximity to International Airport, ICDs and well connected to key state ports by road
  • Decrease counterparty risk for global operators dealing with Indian entities, as Gujarat Maritime Cluster is expected to govern, conduct and performance of its members
  • World-class infrastructure at GIFT City
  • World-class banking with wide array of banks/financial institutions in GIFT City
  • Excellent social infrastructure in and around GIFT City
  • Access to relevant training and certification programs organised in collaboration with Gujarat Maritime University (which has tie-ups with world renowned maritime institutes like Erasmus University, STC International, etc.)
  • Gujarat Maritime University will address the industry-ready manpower requirements for cluster members and pave way for industry-academia collaboration for Innovation / R&D

Advantage Gujarat

From a historic maritime location to the world’s preferred maritime destination, Gujarat is the business gateway of India. With a 1600 km coastline, it handles over 40% of India’s cargo and is the first state in India to privatise the port sector. Besides, it is well connected with superior road, rail and air connectivity to all the major port-based trade routes, and major trade centres of the world, thereby providing immense international trading opportunities.

By virtue of its strategic geographic location on the west coast of India, proactive policies & initiatives as well as robust industrial & support infrastructure, the state has emerged as flag bearer of India’s maritime success story.

Gujarat is the nearest maritime outpost to the Middle East, Africa and Europe.

Gujarat - an Ancient Maritime Tradition. The shores of Lothal & Dholavira in Gujarat were trading hubs of the world for thousands of years, with evidence of shipping ties with Egypt, Bahrain and Sumer dating back to over 5000 years.

A Modern Maritime Destination

  • Gujarat has the highest number of operational commercial ports
  • Handles close to 40% of India’s cargo throughput and Contributes to more than It is around 18% for 2020-21 of the coastal shipping
  • Gujarat houses the biggest private port in the country
  • The presence of port-based Special Investment Regions (SIR), Special Economic Zones (SEZ) and major industrial infrastructure has propelled the cargo movement by sea in the state
  • The most extensive infrastructure in handling Crude, POL, LPG and LNG in the country
  • In 2019 – 20, Gujarat handled about 60% of the country’s maritime traffic of Petroleum, Oils, and Lubricant (POL) including crude & Products.
  • The state is home to world’s largest port-based grassroots refinery as well as two operational LNG import terminals