The agreement, signed on National Maritime Day, builds on discussions at India Maritime Week 2025 and focuses on strengthening training frameworks and future maritime capabilities through a phased collaboration.

Shipping Corporation of India Land and Assets Ltd. (SCILAL) signs MoU with Synergy Marine Pte. Ltd. to strengthen maritime capability development and training ecosystem

Shipping Corporation of India Land and Assets Ltd. (SCILAL), a Government of India enterprise under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Synergy Marine Pte. Ltd. (part of Synergy Marine Group) to collaborate on maritime capability development, training and knowledge exchange. The MoU was signed in Mumbai on the occasion of the 63rd National Maritime Day.

The MoU builds upon discussions held during the ‘Global Maritime CEO Forum’ at ‘India Maritime Week 2025’, where the Hon’ble Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, interacted with global industry leaders and emphasised the need to strengthen India’s maritime capabilities, develop a future-ready workforce and promote closer public-private collaboration to support India’s emergence as a leading maritime nation.

A central element of the collaboration is the shared intent to work towards a framework focused on building maritime capabilities aligned with the evolving needs of the industry. Over time, this may support areas such as digitalisation, data-led operations, new technologies, decarbonisation, sustainability, future fuels, research, innovation and capability development, as well as training frameworks aligned with regulatory and operational requirements.

As part of the initial phase, SCILAL, through its Maritime Training Institute (MTI), Powai, will partner with Synergy Marine for an upcoming Diploma in Nautical Studies programme. The initiative will focus on preparing cadets to meet the operational, safety and regulatory requirements of modern shipping.
A joint working group comprising representatives from both organisations will oversee the implementation of the MoU, including curriculum alignment, training delivery and other collaborative initiatives under the proposed framework.

Leadership Quotes 

On the occasion, Capt. B. K. Tyagi, Chairman and Managing Director, SCILAL and The Shipping Corporation of India Ltd., highlighted that SCI, as the national carrier, brings over six decades of experience in shipping, complemented by the institutional strengths of SCILAL’s Maritime Training Institute (MTI), Powai. He noted that the collaboration will strengthen training outcomes through industry partnership and support the development of a future-ready maritime workforce, aligned with the national vision of increasing India’s share in the global seafaring pool from around 12 per cent to over 20 per cent by 2030. The initiative also contributes to building capacity and enabling people to be strong partners in India’s journey towards maritime prosperity and Viksit Bharat.

On this, Mr. Ajay Chaudhry, Co-CEO, Synergy Marine Group, said, “This engagement reflects a shared understanding that maritime training must continue to evolve alongside the industry. As operating environments become more complex, closer alignment between institutions and industry will be important to ensure consistency in standards and preparedness. We value the opportunity to work with SCI, SCILAL and MTI in this regard.”

Reflecting on the importance of this MoU, Mr. Vikas Trivedi, Co-CEO, Synergy Marine Group, said, “SCILAL and MTI, Powai, have played a significant role in shaping generations of Indian seafarers, and this strong foundation is central to what this engagement can achieve. As vessels, fuels and regulatory expectations evolve, training needs to stay closely aligned with operational realities. The collaborative framework brings together this institutional depth with Synergy’s operational scale to ensure that the maritime professionals we develop are not only qualified but also equipped to meet the demands of modern shipping.”