Addressing industry stakeholders at the Southern India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) conference on innovation and tech automation in shipping and logistics here on Thursday, he said “some technological upgrades may initially appear costly, but their long-term societal and environmental benefits are priceless.”
The sixth edition of the SICCI Southern Region Shipping Conclave, held in Chennai in association with the Association of Multimodal Transport Operators of India (AMTOI), focused on the role of technology, innovation and sustainability in reshaping India’s logistics and maritime sector.
Citing Chennai Port’s shift to electrified equipment and shore power for vessels, he called on the industry to go beyond short-term return on investment (RoI) calculations and embrace sustainability as a shared duty.
Highlighting the government’s initiatives, Paliwal said the National Logistics Portal and projects like “One Nation One Process” aimed to streamline documentation, bring consistency across ports and digitise manual processes. Chennai Port’s adoption of the Enterprise Business System (EBS), along with mobile apps and an indigenised vessel traffic management system (VTMS) in partnership with the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT Madras), was presented as a milestone in improving operational efficiency.
In terms of infrastructure, he shared updates on ongoing works at Kamarajar Port, including efforts to make it GatiShakti-compliant, rail-road connectivity upgrades and green energy integration. Chennai’s long-awaited elevated corridor and the newly-operational parking plaza were also discussed, as were long-term plans such as the Rs 8,000-crore offshore terminal and the country’s first greenfield multi-modal logistics park in North Chennai.
The conference also witnessed the release of a knowledge report on the Innovation and Tech Automation in Shipping and Logistics.
In his opening remarks, V N Shiva Shankar, senior vice-president of SICCI, underscored Tamil Nadu’s strategic role in India’s export economy, with its vast coastline and major ports.
He also floated a proposal for a Bay of Bengal Business Summit, seeking Paliwal’s support in bringing together regional maritime stakeholders.
Naveen Prakash, chair, SICCI Supply Chain Management Committee, pointed to the rapid digitisation of logistics — from blockchain and the Internet of Things (IoT) to automation—emphasising the role of logistics in India’s growth vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.
“As India pushes for global logistics leadership, we must ensure our systems are faster, smarter, and greener,” he said.
Bana Bihari Nayak, Managing Director of the Tamil Nadu Apex Skill Development Centre for Logistics, urged industries to invest more deeply in talent development. “We are not just creating programs. We are building careers and strengthening India’s logistics backbone,” he said.
The event concluded with an appeal for greater collaboration between industry, government and academia to meet India’s evolving logistics needs sustainably. “Let’s work together,” said Mr. Paliwal, “so that we leave behind not just a stronger economy, but a cleaner, smarter country.”
