Davinder Sandhu, Chairman and Co-Founder of Primus Partners, mentions that India’s port expansion risks being undermined by inadequate dredging capacity and dependence on foreign dredgers. The report highlights how insufficient navigational depth can prevent larger vessels from operating at full loads, increasing freight costs and leaving port infrastructure underutilised. Delays in deploying specialised dredgers could generate logistics inefficiencies of up to ₹4,000 crore annually.
The report proposes a ₹20,000-crore strategic opportunity to develop domestic dredger manufacturing through shipbuilding financial assistance and the Maritime Development Fund. It also recommends streamlining clearances through a unified digital system, standardised documentation and risk-based assessments. Strengthening domestic manufacturing could improve port efficiency and export competitiveness, create skilled employment, develop marine-engineering supply chains and reduce dependence on imported specialised vessels.
