February 26, 2018
NTCPWC is being set up at a cost of US$11 million jointly borne by the Ministry of Shipping, the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) and the major ports.
NTCPWC, being set up under the Shipping Ministry’s flagship programme Sagar Mala, will act as a modern technology wing providing engineering support to the sector.
The centre will conduct research in the areas of 2D and 3D modelling of ocean, coastal and estuarine flows, sediment transport as well as navigation and maneuvering.
NTCPWC will drastically reduce the costs and time taken related to resolving challenges in the ports and maritime sector, while cutting dependence on foreign institutions.
India is setting up a centre to support national water transport system and infrastructure with the help of the latest in technology and innovation. On February 26th Shri Nitin Gadkari, Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation laid the foundation stone for the National Technology Centre for Ports, Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC), at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Chennai. The Ministry of Shipping and IIT Chennai have also signed a memorandum of understanding related to the development. NTCPWC is being set up at a cost of US$11 million jointly borne by the Ministry of Shipping and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI).
NTCPWC, being set up under the Shipping Ministry’s flagship programme Sagar Mala, will act as a modern technology arm of the Ministry of Shipping and provide engineering and technological inputs and support for Ports, the IWAI and other institutions. The centre will conduct research in the areas of 2D and 3D modelling of ocean, coastal and estuarine flows, sediment transport and morphodynamics as well as navigation and maneuvering. It will also support dredging and siltation, port and coastal engineering-structures and breakwaters, autonomous platforms and vehicles, experimental and CFD modeling of flow and hull interaction, hydrodynamics of multiple hulls and ocean renewable energy.
The centre will provide indigenous software and technology, make technical guidelines and standards and address port and maritime issues with models and simulations. The centre will not only help generate new technology and innovations but also work towards their successful commercialization. It will provide learning opportunities for people employed in the shipping industry. The centre will be self sustainable in three years through industry consultancy projects for Indian and global port and maritime sector. NTCPWC would give a boost to the development of indigenous technology relevant to the port and maritime sector in India, while supporting the Government’s “Make in India” programme.
NTCPWC will drastically reduce the costs and time taken related to resolving challenges in the ports and maritime sector, while cutting dependence on foreign institutions. This will support the Government’s US$123.4 billion Sagar Mala project which envisions the construction of more than six mega ports, modernization of several other ports, development of over 14 Coastal Economic Zones and at least 29 Coastal Economic Units, along with a range of infrastructure and connected transport systems.