PANAJI
The Captain of Ports (CoP) department will study the functioning of maritime boards and port regulations across the country before implementing the Goa Maritime Board framework, which is currently awaiting government approval. Deputy Captain of Ports Premalal Shirsatkar has been entrusted with the exercise and directed to submit a comprehensive report by December 15.
Sources said Shirsatkar has been asked to visit maritime states, study their respective port regulations and examine the administrative and regulatory mechanisms adopted by their maritime boards. The findings will be considered for incorporation into Goa's proposed framework, wherever required.
Speaking to The Goan, Captain of Ports Octavio Rodrigues confirmed that the draft Goa Maritime Board framework is being prepared and is submitted to the State government for approval.
“The framework, which will be drafted into a Bill later, will be vetted by the Law Department and subsequently placed before the State Legislative Assembly,” he said.
Rodrigues said the department has directed the Deputy Captain of Ports to study the functioning of maritime boards in major states to identify practices that could be adopted in Goa.
“We want to see if there is anything that can be incorporated in our framework,” he said.
While declining to disclose specific details, Rodrigues said the proposed framework would focus on sustainable development, environmental protection and the conservation of rivers.
The exercise assumes significance as Goa prepares to establish its maritime board under the provisions of the Indian Ports Act, 2025. The proposed framework is expected to provide an institutional mechanism for overseeing port-related activities and strengthening the administration of the State's inland waterways and minor ports.
In July, the State government issued a notification designating the Captain of Ports to function as the Goa Maritime Board under the Indian Ports Act, 2025. The move was aimed at modernising port administration and providing a statutory framework for managing port-related activities.
The notification also appointed the Captain of Ports as the conservator of all minor ports in Goa.
The proposed framework is expected to strengthen regulatory oversight of safety, navigation and infrastructure across the State's inland waterways and minor ports.
The transition follows the enactment of the Indian Ports Act, 2025, which provides for the establishment of state maritime boards to oversee port-related functions. The ongoing study is intended to help Goa assess existing models and incorporate suitable provisions before finalising its own framework.
