Ahmedabad (Gujarat) [India], March 27 (ANI): Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) has operationalised India's first Port of Refuge (PoR), addressing a longstanding gap in maritime emergency infrastructure, creating a structured mechanism to handle maritime emergencies and vessels in distress.

A PoR, as defined by the International Maritime Organisation, is a designated location where ships can seek shelter to stabilise conditions, protect life and limit environmental damage. While such frameworks are standard in major maritime economies, India had not formalised one until now. The move comes as India, with a coastline of over 11,000 kilometres and located along key global shipping routes, seeks to strengthen its emergency response capabilities.

A release said that APSEZ will designate two sites as PoR: Dighi Port on the west coast, supporting traffic across the Arabian Sea and routes to the Persian Gulf and Gopalpur Port on the east coast, serving vessels in the Bay of Bengal and routes towards the Malacca Strait, one of the world's busiest maritime trade corridors.

The facilities will provide salvage and wreck removal, firefighting, pollution containment and emergency coordination services through specialised equipment and trained response teams.

The initiative is backed by a tripartite memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SMIT Salvage, the salvage and emergency response division of Royal Boskalis Westminster N.V. (Boskalis) and the Maritime Emergency Response Centre (MERC), bringing global expertise and coordinated response capability, the release said.

The capability will support vessels insured under the International Group of Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Clubs, aligning with global maritime risk and liability frameworks.

'This milestone marks a significant step in strengthening India's maritime safety ecosystem,' said Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), APSEZ. 'Ports connect economies--but a Port of Refuge protects lives. By establishing dedicated PoR infrastructure, we are elevating India's maritime preparedness and setting a new benchmark for world-class coastal safety. At APSEZ, we believe world-class infrastructure must be matched by world-class responsibility.'

'The initiative marks an important step in strengthening India's maritime preparedness and emergency response capacity. The adoption of a standardized Port of Refuge framework will enable more coordinated and timely action during maritime incidents, ensuring effective protection of life, cargo, and the coastal environment. I commend all stakeholders for their collaborative efforts in operationalising this important capability,' Director General (DG) of Shipping Shyam Jagannathan said.

Richard Janssen, Managing Director (MD), SMIT Salvage (Boskalis), said that providing a Port of Refuge to a casualty is critical in a salvage operation.

'We are strengthening maritime safety and care for the marine environment where it matters most, and in doing so jointly protect India's coastline and society. Providing a Port of Refuge to a casualty is critical in a salvage operation to ensure that the vessel and her cargo are dealt with swiftly and professionally and that the affected cargo and fire- fighting water is treated and disposed of in accordance with the applicable legislation,' Janssen said.

'SMIT Salvage is pleased to bring global best-in-class salvage capability and experience to ensure faster, safer, and coordinated emergency response along India's key shipping routes,' he added.

The release said that the initiative is aligned with international maritime conventions, enhancing safety, environmental protection and India's role in global shipping corridors.

By establishing a formal PoR framework, APSEZ aims to improve emergency response readiness and strengthen India's position in global maritime trade, it said.

APSEZ is India's largest and the world's fastest-growing integrated transport utility which handles nearly 27 per cent of India's port cargo volumes. (ANI)