Visakhapatnam Port Authority to host second BIMSTEC conclave on July 14, 15

Visakhapatnam will host the second BIMSTEC Ports Conclave on July 14–15. Focusing on the blue economy, green energy, and regional trade, the event will bring together BIMSTEC nations to boost maritime cooperation, investment, innovation, and sustainable connectivity

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) will host the second Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Ports conclave on July 14 and 15.

Themed as ‘Navigating the Future: Blue Economy, Innovation & Sustainable Partnerships’, the two-day conclave will bring together ministerial delegations, port authorities, maritime experts, and business leaders from BIMSTEC member countries, a release from the port said on Saturday.

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BIMSTEC member countries include India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. “VPA is proud to host the second BIMSTEC Ports conclave on July 14 and 15, 2025, reaffirming India’s commitment to strengthening regional maritime connectivity and cooperation across the BIMSTEC region,” the release said.

As part of the second edition of the conclave, the focus will lay on giving a fillip to maritime growth by unlocking private investment and infrastructural partnerships across BIMSTEC ports.

Fast-tracking Kaladan Multimodal Transit Corridor and associated logistics networks, identifying and promoting coastal tourism circuits and heritage cruise lines and upskilling port workforce and developing future-ready talent pool are the other aims of the conclave.

It also aims to advance blue economy through green energy adoption, sustainable logistics, and digital transformation, the release said. Aligned with ‘Maritime India Vision 2030’ and ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, the conclave will feature deliberations on ‘Harit Sagar’ (Green Ports) and shore-to-ship power supply.

It will also feature discourses on green hydrogen integration and decarbonisation pathways, including smart logistics corridors, SEZs, and port-linked industrialisation.

Ministers of Transport and Ports from BIMSTEC countries, senior officials from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Government of India, delegates from shipping corporations, port trusts, logistics companies and experts from UNESCAP, ADB, BIMSTEC Secretariat and international think tanks are expected to attend the conclave.

Business-to-Business (B2B) and Government-to-Business (G2B) sessions are expected to open avenues for cross-border collaboration, deals and project-level discussions to catalyse investment and innovation in the region.

“The second BIMSTEC Ports Conclave 2025 is poised to be a transformative event that redefines the Bay of Bengal as the next global trade hotspot. It will pave the way for resilient maritime ecosystems, regional connectivity, and a shared future of prosperity, innovation, and sustainability,” the release said.

Elaborating on the importance of BIMSTEC and the Bay of Bengal, the port noted that the sea on India’s eastern coast is a strategic maritime bridge between Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and a vital conduit for energy, trade, and geopolitical connectivity.

BIMSTEC plays a pivotal role in creating a prosperous, secure, and resilient Indo-Pacific, which is in line with India’s Act East Policy, Neighbourhood First, and SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision, the release said.