Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) has operationalised India’s first Port of Refuge (PoR), establishing a structured framework to handle maritime emergencies and vessels in distress, and addressing a long-standing gap in the country’s coastal safety infrastructure.
A Port of Refuge, as defined by global maritime standards, is a designated location where ships can seek shelter to stabilise conditions, protect lives, and minimise environmental damage during emergencies. While such systems are widely used in major maritime economies, India had not formalised one until now.
The initiative is backed by a tripartite collaboration with global salvage firm SMIT Salvage (part of Boskalis) and the Maritime Emergency Response Centre (MERC), bringing specialised expertise in emergency response, wreck removal, firefighting, and pollution control.
Under this framework, APSEZ has designated two strategic locations like Dighi Port on the west coast and Gopalpur Port on the east coast, as Port of Refuge sites, enabling coverage across key international shipping routes, including the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, Bay of Bengal, and the Malacca Strait corridor.
