India, Norway to expand maritime cooperation, explore Northern Sea Route

India and Norway are expanding maritime cooperation with plans to explore the feasibility of operationalising the Northern Sea Route (NSR), greening of costal shipping, recycling of ships, sustainable fishing operations and generation of renewable energy from the oceans.

The decision was taken at a meeting of India’s minister of ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, with Norwegian minister for transport, Jon-Ivar Nygard, on the sidelines of the Nor-Shipping event in Oslo on Wednesday.

Sonowal discussed ways of utilising Norway’s expertise in ‘Ferry Electrification’ with the Norwegian transport minister and also discussed cooperation on ship recycling, sustainable fisheries and generation of renewable energy from the oceans with minister of fisheries and ocean policy Marianne Sivertsen.

During bilateral talks focused on adopting green maritime technologies, Sonowal highlighted India’s renewed push to modernise its maritime sector and its digital transformation. The two countries have agreed to exchange expertise on ferry system electrification. 

Sonowal said India is focused on advancing its shipping infrastructure, green shipping, shipbuilding, and digitalisation under ‘Maritime India Vision 2030’ and is undertaking bold and transformative steps by harnessing public-private partnerships (PPP).

Besides being gateways of trade, India wants its ports infrastructure to support green energy integration through building of offshore wind, green hydrogen, and low-carbon project initiatives.

India and Norway are set to deepen collaboration in green maritime technologies, based on the Green Coastal Shipping Programme and Green Voyage 2050. The two countries have proposed to undertake joint efforts in smart logistics, digital port ecosystems, and clean coastal shipping. 

The two will explore ways to combine India’s MAITRI initiative and Norway’s expertise in AI-driven port management, besides looking at synergies in the use of alternative fuels like LNG, hydrogen, and electric propulsion to decarbonise the Blue Economy.

Sonowal said the Indo-Norwegian partnership in the greening of the maritime sector through initiatives like the use of e-methanol in bunkering operations, building hydrogen-powered vessels, manufacture of electric ferries and vessels will also serve the emerging global demand for green maritime technologies.

During talks between Norway’s minister of fisheries and ocean policy, Marianne Sivertsen Næss and Sonowal, the two leaders underlined the longstanding cooperation between the two countries and the recent EFTA-India Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement, which will contribute to expanding bilateral cooperation in the maritime sector.

The two sides have agreed to leverage Norway’s cutting-edge ship design expertise and India’s robust shipyard capacity to jointly produce eco-friendly vessels for the world.

During bilateral talks, India also proposed to conduct a joint feasibility study for operationalising the Northern Sea Route (NSR) with participation of Norwegian and Indian agencies, which will help facilitate Arctic navigation through collaborative research in the design and construction of ice-class vessels and development of better navigational technologies.