India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways has announced the establishment of a new Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) office in Guwahati to provide seafarer certification and safety services closer to candidates from the country’s Northeast. The move is part of a broader strategy to expand maritime studies and industry exposure for students through cooperation between Cotton University and the National Inland Navigation Institute.
On September 7, 2026, Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that a new Mercantile Marine Department (MMD) office under the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA) will be set up in Guwahati to handle seafarer certification and maritime safety services for aspirants from India’s northeastern states. According to the minister, decentralising these services will reduce the time and cost for young candidates who currently need to travel to distant metropolitan centres for examinations and documentation, and is intended to encourage more youth from the region to pursue careers in the maritime and shipping sectors, described as a “sunrise industry” for India’s economic ambitions.
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