New Delhi [India], April 28 (ANI): The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, highlighted the occasion of the arrival and flagging of CMA CGM Vitoria, as the first Indian flagged vessel by a global shipping major, from the Nhava Sheva Freeport Terminal on Monday.

Sonowal said that this is in line with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Viksit Bharat and a boost to

Maritime Sector's vision document 'Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision,2047.' Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Sonowal, said, 'Today marks a significant step forward for India's maritime sector as CMA CGM Vitoria becomes the first Indian flagged container vessel registered by a foreign shipping line and is to be flagged off from Mumbai today. The significance of this stems from the fact that India, under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is making a conscious decision to increase the number of Indian-flagged vessels to reduce dependency and enhance self-reliance, thereby making Bharat Atmanirbhar. We are working constantly to expand our Indian flagged vessel fleet to strengthen our position in global trade, building resilience, ensuring stability in supply chains and creating opportunities for the Indian marine sector.'

This flagging off ceremony of India's first flagged vessel of global shipping line is a step in the right direction, signifying resurgence of country's maritime sector under the visionary leadership of PM Modi,' he added.

The CMA CGM Vitoria -- a 26,836 GT vessel with a capacity of 2,592 TEUs -- will operate under the BIGEX Network, boosting direct maritime connectivity between India, the Gulf, and the Red Sea, with regular calls at Nhava Sheva and Mundra. This registration also marks CMA CGM's entry into the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) at GIFT City, Gujarat -- another first for a global shipping major.

In his address, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal hailed the flagging as 'another inspiring chapter in India's maritime resurgence under the visionary leadership of Hon'ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi.'

Sonowal noted that India's major ports handled a record 855 million tonnes of cargo in FY 2024-25, with JNPA alone achieving 7.3 million TEUs -- reflecting the impact of policy reforms, infrastructure investments, and key legislative initiatives like the Merchant Shipping Bill, 2024, and the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024.

Union Minister of State, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shantanu Thakur, reflecting on the occasion, said, 'Today's flagging is not just a commercial milestone but a national achievement. The CMA CGM Vitoria carries not only cargo but the spirit of India's maritime resurgence under our national flag.It reflects the world's growing trust in India's capabilities and aligns perfectly with our Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, under the leadership of PM Modi.'

Sonowal, who joined the event via video conferencing from Assam, was joined by Shantanu Thakur, Minister of State (MoS), Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, TK Ramachandran, Secretary, MoPSW; R Laxmanan, Joint Secretary, MoPSW; Unmesh Wagh, Chairman, JNPA among the other senior officials from the MoPSW, JNPA, and CMA CGM leadership team led by Ludovic Renou, Jesper Stenback and Atit Mahajan among others.

Union Minister also called on all stakeholders to back India's maritime growth, and said, 'Let us invest in Indian shipyards, boost our tonnage, and build a resilient, self-reliant, and globally competitive sector. Together, we can realise the vision of making India a global maritime powerhouse by 2047.'

The event marks a major step in strengthening India's growing maritime presence, building on PM Narendra Modi's visit to CMA CGM's headquarters earlier this year. Following it up, the discussions during Singapore Maritime Week 2025, the Union

Sonowal further called for collaboration and cooperation on shipbuilding, logistics, and container manufacturing. With a modern fleet and strategic hubs across India, the UAE, and the Mediterranean, CMA CGM is set to play a key role in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and support India's growing leadership in global shipping.(ANI)