'Maritime training must align with industry needs,' says Caravel Group

New Delhi : Maritime education needs to be far more closely aligned with industry needs to meet the operational demands of modern shipping, said Harindarpal S Banga, Founder and Executive Chairman of The Caravel Group.

With the maritime industry moving rapidly towards decarbonisation, digitalisation and automation, academic institutions must invest in simulators and adopt future-ready curricula, Banga told ET.

His comments track the Hong Kong-based conglomerate's recent acquisition of the International Maritime Institute in Noida to bolster maritime training.


Caravel has interests across shipping, commodity, and investment management.

It owns Fleet Management Ltd, employing more than 20,000 Indian seafarers, making it one of India's largest suppliers of maritime workforce. According to Caravel, the group manages, operates, or owns more than 650 vessels that collectively transport nearly 150 million tonnes of cargo annually. With technology reshaping vessel operations, Banga said training systems must evolve quickly. "There is a need to swiftly integrate new competencies for emerging technologies, particularly in areas such as green fuel adoption," he said, adding that preparing seafarers for next-generation ships is an imperative.

On the escalating tensions in the Gulf and continued attacks on commercial vessels, Banga said the safety and wellbeing of seafarers must take precedence, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz and adjoining waters.