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16 EXIM newsletter Mumbai & Western India, Monday, March 10, 2025
INDIA
JNPA honoured to host Her Royal
Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium
H Visit aimed at strengthening bilateral maritime cooperation
H MoU inked between JNPA and APEC-Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Centre
Exim News Service and APEC-Antwerp/Flanders
MUMBAI, March 9 Port Training Centre. This agree-
JAWAHARLAL Nehru Port ment sets the foundation for es-
Authority (JNPA), India’s Best tablishing a port-focused training
Performing Port, had the distinct institute in India, reinforcing JN-
honour of welcoming Her Royal PA’s efforts to advance maritime
Highness Princess Astrid of education and develop a skilled
Belgium, Representative of His workforce.
Majesty the King, during her of- Speaking on the occasion, Mr
ficial visit to India last week. Her Wagh said, “It is an honour to
Royal Highness, accompanied host Her Royal Highness Princess
by an esteemed business delega- Astrid of Belgium and the distin-
tion, was warmly received by Mr guished delegation at JNPA. This
Unmesh Sharad Wagh, IRS, visit reaffirms the strong maritime
Chairperson, JNPA and CMD, ties between India and Belgium.
VPPL. The signing of the MoU with APEC-
Welcoming the delegation, Mr Antwerp/Flanders Port Training
Unmesh Sharad Wagh provided Centre is a step forward in foster-
a comprehensive overview of JN- ing excellence in port operations
PA’s operations, infrastructure and training. JNPA remains com-
developments and the highly an- mitted to enhancing global part-
ticipated Vadhvan Port project, a nerships and driving sustainable
transformative initiative poised to growth in the maritime sector”.
bolster India’s maritime trade and economic growth. During the visit, Her Royal Highness and the delega-
MoU for port-focused training institute tion boarded the DEME hopper dredging vessel Congo
A defining moment of the visit was the signing of a River, berthed at the JNPA Coastal Berth, which is ac-
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between JNPA tively involved in dredging operations at the port. The
delegation had the opportunity to observe the vessel’s ad-
vanced dredging techniques and operational capabilities,
gaining insights into JNPA’s efforts to enhance naviga-
tional efficiency. The visit also served as a platform for
JNPA to showcase its expertise in sustainable dredging
solutions and commitment to maintaining world class
port infrastructure.
Her Royal Highness and the delegation further visited
the existing JNPA-APEC Training Centre, where they
engaged in discussions on enhancing skill development
and maritime training programs in India.
The visit of Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of
Belgium to JNPA marks a significant step in strengthen-
ing Indo-Belgian maritime cooperation. It will also pave
the way for future avenues in port development, training
and sustainable maritime solutions.
The delegation included HE Maxime Prevot, Deputy
Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Europe-
an Affairs and Development Cooperation, Federal Gov-
ernment; HE Matthias Diependaele, Minister-President
of the Government of Flanders and Flemish Minister for
Economy, Innovation & Industry, Foreign Affairs, Digi-
tisation and Facility Management, Government of Flan-
ders; HE Didier Vanderhasselt, Ambassador of the King-
dom of Belgium to India, Embassy of Belgium in India;
Mr Frank Geerkens, Consul General in Mumbai, Con-
sulate General of Belgium-Mumbai; Mr Piet Demunter,
Acting CEO, Flanders Investment & Trade; Mr Kristof
Waterschoot, Managing Director, Port of Antwerp-Brug-
es International; Ambassador Dirk Wouters, Adviser to
Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, Royal Palace; Mr
Luc Arnouts, Director International Relations, Port of
Antwerp-Bruges; and Mr Bram Vandepitte, Area Man-
ager South Asia, Dredging, Environmental & Marine
Engineering, informed a release.
