PM’s Bhavnagar Visit to Focus on New Shipbuilding Policy Amid Gulf of Khambhat Concerns
Shipping Inbox | Bhavnagar (Gujarat) | 13th September
Bhavnagar is preparing for a high-profile visit as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to arrive on September 20 to announce a new Shipbuilding Policy, fresh ship recycling plots along a six-kilometre waterfront near the Alang yard, and several MoUs linked to shipping and maritime business. The visit is expected to boost Gujarat’s maritime economy, with Alang—the world’s largest ship recycling hub—once again in the spotlight.
However, alongside the excitement over new projects, a critical debate is unfolding over where the Prime Minister will address the public gathering dedicated to shipping and maritime development. The backdrop of this debate is the Gulf of Khambhat, also known historically as the Gulf of Cambay. Flanked by the coasts of South Gujarat and Saurashtra, this maritime corridor has been central to India’s trade for centuries but remains one of the most difficult seas to navigate.
Four major rivers—the Narmada, Tapi, Sabarmati, and Mahi—empty their waters into the gulf, creating a powerful confluence. Coupled with extreme tidal forces and unpredictable currents, the gulf is ranked among the world’s most challenging marine environments. Its currents are considered the second strongest globally, and during monsoon months, massive tidal waves churn soil from the seabed, posing constant navigation hazards.
Despite such complexities, the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) has come under fire for appointing engineers, rather than seasoned foreign-going masters, as port officers across some of these crucial coastal points. Maritime experts argue that bypassing captains trained to handle turbulent sea conditions risks compromising safety, delaying emergency response, and leaving infrastructure vulnerable in one of India’s toughest maritime regions.
The Prime Minister’s upcoming announcements, therefore, arrive at a moment when Gujarat’s maritime future is poised between bold expansion and mounting safety concerns.
The Gulf of Khambhat is home to a cluster of major ports, both government-controlled and privately operated. Bhavnagar Port, the globally renowned Alang Ship Recycling Yard, Jafrabad Port, Dahej Port, Magdalla Port, Hazira Port, and Pipavav Port all lie within this gulf’s domain. Together, they handle massive volumes of cargo, ship-breaking operations, and vessel traffic that is central to Gujarat’s standing as India’s leading maritime state. Yet, the officers overseeing these facilities are now primarily engineers, not captains. For instance, Engineer Rahul Mishra has been appointed as Port Officer of Bhavnagar Port and Alang Ship Recycling Yard. At the same time, Engineer Amit Kumar has been assigned to oversee Dahej, Magdalla, and Hazira.
The concern is not with the engineers’ competence in their own field but with the mismatch between their expertise and the unique challenges of port management. Engineers are trained primarily for construction, infrastructure maintenance, and technical upkeep, whereas captains are trained in navigation, seamanship, maritime law, safety protocols, and crisis management at sea. Handling tidal surges, advising ships in distress, coordinating rescue operations, or making instant decisions in extreme weather are skills that captains acquire over decades of service at sea. Without such experience, critics argue, port officers may find themselves unprepared for emergencies, which can lead to delays and potential disasters.
This concern is not abstract but rooted in the Gulf’s volatile conditions. During the monsoon months, vessels approaching or anchored in the gulf often face sudden and violent sea movements. The shifting seabed, combined with unpredictable currents, can destabilise ships, damage hulls, or even lead to groundings. Timely, well-informed intervention is crucial in such scenarios, and only experienced captains with nautical training can provide the guidance required. Appointing engineers instead of captains risks creating a dangerous gap in expertise at precisely the moment when lives and cargo are at stake.
The Gujarat Maritime Board does, in fact, have the option of appointing captains as port officers. Yet, the current trend of appointing engineers reflects a worrying policy shift. Sources within the maritime sector suggest that administrative convenience and internal politics may be behind this preference for engineers. Engineers already form a majority within the GMB, and as positions of authority open up, their promotion has taken precedence over recruiting or retaining captains. But while such decisions may satisfy bureaucratic pressures, the cost of sidelining nautical expertise could be devastating.
The recent reshuffling of posts illustrates this trend clearly. Until recently, Captain Bansiva Ladwa was serving as the Port Officer of Magdalla, Hazira, and Dahej, while Captain Rakesh Mishra was stationed at Bhavnagar and Alang. Both men had years of experience as captains and were familiar with the complex maritime geography of the Gulf of Khambhat. Their removal and replacement with engineers—Amit Kumar and Rahul Mishra—has raised alarm bells among those who understand the Gulf’s unique challenges. Critics argue that this is not a simple administrative change but a decision that risks undermining the very safety protocols that keep maritime operations secure.
The shortage of captains within GMB further compounds the issue. At present, the organisation has only four captains: Captain Ashwin Solanki, who serves as Chief Nautical Officer, Captain Bansiva Ladwa, currently in charge of Chief Nautical Officer; Captain Arvind Mishra; and Captain Rakesh Mishra. This is an alarmingly small number given Gujarat’s vast maritime presence, which includes more than 40 ports across its 1,600-kilometre coastline. Until a few years ago, GMB had a stronger cadre of captains, but the ranks have thinned due to retirements and resignations.
In recent years, several senior captains have left the board. Captain Mathur, Captain Chaddha, and Captain Raman retired, while Captain Kuldeep Singh and Captain Neeraj Hirwani resigned from their posts. None of these positions has been filled since, leaving the board critically short of nautical expertise. Instead of recruiting new captains to replace those who have left, GMB has opted to elevate engineers into leadership roles at ports, further skewing the balance.
This imbalance between engineers and captains is particularly concerning because the two roles are not interchangeable. Engineers play a vital role in port maintenance, dredging, construction of berths, and ensuring the technical infrastructure of ports is sound. Captains, on the other hand, bring operational knowledge of vessel handling, port navigation, safety systems, and international maritime law. Ideally, both should work hand in hand, complementing each other’s expertise. By sidelining captains, the system loses the very skill set that is indispensable in times of crisis.
Industry insiders warn that this approach could eventually lead to major maritime accidents. The Gulf of Khambhat’s tidal variations, sometimes rising up to 10 meters, are among the most dramatic in the world. The seabed is in constant flux, making navigation charts unreliable at times. In such an environment, the absence of experienced captains in leadership roles is not just an administrative oversight—it is a potential recipe for disaster.
Furthermore, Gujarat’s maritime sector is expanding rapidly. With private ports like Pipavav and Hazira handling ever larger vessels, and with global shipping companies relying on Gujarat’s ports for trade, the margin for error is shrinking. Any serious mishap could not only cost lives and damage vessels but also undermine confidence in Gujarat as a safe maritime hub. For a state that prides itself on being India’s maritime leader, such risks should not be taken lightly.
The Gujarat Maritime Board now faces a critical choice. It can either continue down its current path, relying heavily on engineers to fill senior port officer positions, or it can take urgent steps to recruit and retain experienced captains. The latter option would mean recognising the indispensable role of nautical expertise and ensuring that ports, especially those in the Gulf of Khambhat, are guided by professionals who understand the sea in all its complexity.
For now, however, the warning signs are clear. With only a handful of captains left in service, with engineers taking charge of ports in one of the most challenging maritime environments in the world, and with recruitment gaps widening every year, the risk of disaster is no longer hypothetical. Unless the Gujarat Maritime Board takes corrective action, the very strengths of Gujarat’s maritime geography could become its greatest vulnerability.
Author: shipping inbox
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