Ahmedabad, March 27 : Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) on Friday said it has operationalised Indiaâ??s first Port of Refuge (PoR), addressing a long-standing gap in maritime emergency infrastructure, creating a structured mechanism to handle maritime emergencies and vessels in distress.

The initiative is backed by a tripartite memorandum of understanding (MoU) with SMIT Salvage, the salvage and emergency response division of Royal Boskalis Westminster NV (Boskalis) and the Maritime Emergency Response Centre (MERC), bringing global expertise and coordinated response capability.

A PoR, as defined by the International Maritime Organisation, is a designated location where ships can seek shelter to stabilise conditions, protect life, and limit environmental damage.

While such frameworks are standard in major maritime economies, India had not formalised one until now.

The move comes as India, with a coastline of over 11,000 kilometres and located along key global shipping routes, seeks to strengthen its emergency response capabilities, said the APSEZ, Indiaâ??s largest and the worldâ??s fastest-growing integrated transport utility, which handles nearly 27 per cent of Indiaâ??s port cargo volumes.

"This milestone marks a significant step in strengthening Indiaâ??s maritime safety ecosystem," APSEZ Whole-time Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ashwani Gupta, said.

"Ports connect economies â?? but a Port of Refuge protects lives. By establishing dedicated PoR infrastructure, we are elevating Indiaâ??s maritime preparedness and setting a new benchmark for world-class coastal safety. At APSEZ, we believe world-class infrastructure must be matched by world-class responsibility," said Gupta.

APSEZ will designate two sites as PoR: Dighi Port on the west coast, supporting traffic across the Arabian Sea and routes to the Persian Gulf and Gopalpur Port on the east coast, serving vessels in the Bay of Bengal and routes towards the Malacca Strait, one of the worldâ??s busiest maritime trade corridors.

The facilities will provide salvage and wreck removal, firefighting, pollution containment and emergency coordination services through specialised equipment and trained response teams.

"The initiative marks an important step in strengthening Indiaâ??s maritime preparedness and emergency response capacity. The adoption of a standardised Port of Refuge framework will enable more coordinated and timely action during maritime incidents, ensuring effective protection of life, cargo, and the coastal environment," Director General, Shipping, Shyam Jagannathan, said.

The initiative is aligned with international maritime conventions, enhancing safety, environmental protection and Indiaâ??s role in global shipping corridors.

"Providing a Port of Refuge to a casualty is critical in a salvage operation to ensure that the vessel and her cargo are dealt with swiftly and professionally and that the affected cargo and fire-fighting water are treated and disposed of in accordance with the applicable legislation," SMIT Salvage (Boskalis) Managing Director (MD), Richard Janssen, said.

SMIT Salvage is pleased to bring global best-in-class salvage capability and experience to ensure faster, safer, and coordinated emergency response along Indiaâ??s key shipping routes, he added.

/IANS