Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), which administers and regulates the 41 state-owned non-major ports of Gujarat, has sought assistance from the Union Ministry of Shipping for developing a Maritime Cluster, the first in the country.
Two hubs are planned for the cluster which is expected to develop soft maritime infrastructure and services in Gujarat, one at GIFT city and another at Bhavnagar. Gujarat Ports Infrastructure & Development Co. Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of GMB, is the nodal body for creating the complete ecosystem of port and shipping services within the state.
A cluster covering existing shipyards along with retail and