IIT Madras: Discovery campus inaugurated to introduce cutting edge technology to port sector

NEW DELHI: Union Minister of the Ministry of ports, shipping and waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the National Technology Centre for Ports Waterways and Coasts (NTCPWC) at the Discovery campus of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras today on April 24, 2023. IIT Madras director V Kamakoti and other officials of the institute were also present on the occasion.

A statement from the institute said that the Discovery campus was recently set up by IIT Madras, which occupies 163 acres and is located in Thaiyur, around 36 kilometres from IIT Madras campus. A state-of-the-art standalone research centre has been lodged there, which also houses hostels for research scholars and fellows.

NTCPWC researchers demonstrated the shallow wave basin equipment and also provided an overview of the special projects underway at the research centre before minister Sonowal. On the occasion, minister Sonowal said: "This centre acts as a unique vibrant centre for students, industry and academicians in the area of sediment transportation, navigation, dredging and siltation, port and coastal engineering among other areas".

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Sonowal further said: "Till date, more than 100 projects and products worth Rs 200 crores have been developed and operationalised at major ports, waterways, atomic energy and many other PSUs and state agencies".

IIT Madras director Kamakoti said: "We are committed to the service of the nation. The estimated savings from NTCPWC in the last five years is around Rs 1,500 crores of foreign exchange by indigenous technology. This is among the only such facility in India where we are looking at real world deployment of all the naval related research and translational development projects".