At SMM 2026 in Hamburg, Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Vijay Kumar, along with the Directorate General of Maritime Administration (DGMA), held discussions with Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO, Hapag-Lloyd AG, on strengthening collaboration across India's maritime and logistics ecosystem. The engagement explored opportunities across maritime logistics, shipbuilding, ship repair and India's growing role in global maritime trade, with a focus on deepening commercial linkages and opening new avenues for partnership. As India builds a globally competitive maritime ecosystem, collaboration with leading international players such as Hapag-Lloyd can play an important role in connecting Indian capabilities with global value chains. The discussion reaffirmed the growing depth of India–Germany maritime cooperation and the significant opportunities emerging from India's maritime growth story.