Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mr. Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated India’s first-of-its-kind Maritime Simulation Center in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. These systems will provide cadets with intensive and practical training in essential maritime skills.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Mr. Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated India’s first-of-its-kind Maritime Simulation Center at the Maersk Center of Excellence, AMET Knowledge Park, located near Thennpattinam, Chennai.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by Director General of Shipping, Mr. Shyam Jagannathan, IAS, Mr. Peter Winther-Schmidt, Head of Trade and Innovation, Consulate General of Denmark, Bangalore, senior representatives of A.P. Moller-Maersk, and hundreds of budding sailors.

First Maritime Simulation Center foundation and features

This state-of-the-art facility has been established through a strategic partnership between a deemed university, Academy of Maritime Education and Training (AMET), and A.P. Moller-Maersk.
The facility has been set up with an investment of ₹13.5 crore, with support from the A.P. Moller Foundation, which contributed about ₹6.5 crore (750,000 USD) to the project, further strengthening the collaboration of more than 25 years between AMET and Maersk.
The Maritime Simulation Center uses cutting-edge technology, including full mission simulators for deck and engine operations, Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS), and advanced Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality (AR/VR) laboratories.
These systems will provide cadets with intensive and practical training in essential maritime skills, including watchkeeping and steering, collision avoidance, navigation light recognition, and engine troubleshooting.

India’s first Central Tissue Bank

India’s first Central Tissue Bank and a new cashless “We-Office” for the Delhi Dental Council were inaugurated at the Maulana Azad Institute of Dental Sciences (MAIDS), Delhi.
This tissue bank will provide bone and skin grafts for reconstructive surgery, making them more affordable and accessible for patients.
The We-Office introduces a fully digital, cashless system for registration and renewal of dentists, making it the first state dental council in India to provide such a service.
It is a state-of-the-art facility designed to provide freeze-dried bone and skin grafts for treatment.
By providing tissue directly to patients, it aims to significantly reduce treatment costs, possibly by 25–30%, benefiting those undergoing jawbone repair, dental implants, and reconstructive surgeries.
It sets a new standard for healthcare delivery and dental education in the country, with MAIDS leading in dental innovation.

India launched first electric heavy truck fleet at JNPA for green port logistics

India launched its first electric heavy truck fleet at Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA), starting with 50 swappable-battery trucks. This initiative aims to expand to 80 by 2025 and convert 90% of the port’s vehicles to electric by 2026.
The current fleet consists of 50 electric heavy trucks with swappable batteries that help in quick battery replacement, reducing downtime, and increasing operational efficiency.
Key features of this initiative include a customized heavy-duty battery swapping station designed at JNPA, facilitating rapid battery swapping and continuous truck operation. This facility demonstrates the feasibility of electric trucks for large-scale port operations.
JNPA intends to convert about 90% of its fleet of nearly 600 heavy vehicles to electric by December 2026. This aggressive target supports India’s national objectives of clean energy transition and reduction of carbon emissions in the logistics industry.