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The Gateway Awards 2026 celebrate outstanding achievements across a diverse range of categories. With comprehensive segments that span the entire maritime value chain, the awards highlight excellence from every corner of the industry. This wide-ranging approach ensures a complete view of the sector’s most exceptional contributions and innovations in India. Through this expansive scope, the Gateway Awards strive to recognise and honour excellence across all fields of the maritime profession.
A Container Port is one that handles containerized cargo as its major cargo, operated by either a government or a private company. This award recognizes improvement in operational flow and performance efficiency achieved in FY 2025 and H1 FY 2026. It also recognises initiatives undertaken to achieve higher levels of productivity and growth across all operations in the port including enhancements of soft and hard infrastructure to provide seamless cargo movement, along with efforts towards environmental sustainability such as adopting green practices, energy-efficient systems, and measures to reduce overall environmental impact.
A Bulk Port is one that handles bulk and break-bulk as its major cargo, operated by either a government or a private company. This award recognizes the efforts of a Bulk Port in improving operational and performance efficiency, road and rail connectivity, and also entering new markets in FY 2025 and H1 FY 2026. This award also recognises initiatives undertaken to achieve higher levels of productivity and growth, along with efforts towards environmental sustainability such as adopting green practices, energy-efficient systems, and measures to reduce overall environmental impact.
A Container Terminal is one that handles only containers as its cargo operated by either government or private company. This award recognizes an individual terminal by its overall operational and performance efficiency, expansions, enhancements, new investments and initiatives undertaken to achieve higher levels of productivity, growth and ease of doing business, along with efforts towards environmental sustainability such as adopting green practices, energy-efficient systems, and measures to reduce overall environmental impact.
A Container Terminal is one that handles only containers as its cargo operated by either government or private company. This award recognizes an individual terminal by its overall operational and performance efficiency, expansions, enhancements, new investments and initiatives undertaken to achieve higher levels of productivity, growth and ease of doing business, along with efforts towards environmental sustainability such as adopting green practices, energy-efficient systems, and measures to reduce overall environmental impact.
A Container Line is a ship operator that operates pure container carriers in its fleet. Judging criteria include total Indian containerized cargo handled, expansion of network, new services, new routes and customer service, along with efforts towards environmental sustainability such as adopting green practices, energy-efficient systems, and measures to reduce overall environmental impact.
This award recognizes an Indian shipbuilding company that operates one or more shipyards in India and specializes in constructing commercial, ocean-going vessels. The judging parameters include the company’s order book strength, production capacity, availability of dry docks and ship repair facilities, the range and types of vessels built, and its expertise in constructing larger ships. The evaluation also considers the company’s adherence to safety standards and environmental sustainability practices, including implementation of safe working systems, use of energy-efficient technologies, and initiatives aimed at reducing environmental impact.
This award recognizes an Indian shipbuilding company that operates one or more shipyards within the country and specializes in constructing commercial, ocean-going vessels. Judging parameters include the company’s order book strength, production capacity, availability of dry docks and ship repair facilities, the range and types of vessels built, and its expertise in designing and constructing small and medium-sized ships. The evaluation also considers the company’s commitment to safety standards and environmental sustainability, including safe work practices, compliance with statutory norms, adoption of greener technologies, and initiatives to reduce environmental impact.
A Shipping Agent is an individual or an enterprise who acts on behalf of a shipping company for booking and delivery of cargo. Judging criteria include total volumes handled, efficiency, quality of customer service, innovations and expansion of network.
An Inland Container Depot (ICD) is a dry port that deals with operations like container handling, stuffing, de-stuffing, loading, unloading, container repairs and custom clearance. Judging criteria for this category include capacity, infrastructure, cargo handling equipment, storage space, productivity/ efficiency, rail & road connectivity, better customs and customer service, along with efforts towards environmental sustainability such as adopting green practices, energy-efficient systems, and measures to reduce overall environmental impact. (Only one nomination from one company will be accepted. Multiple nominations are not allowed from same owner)
Container Freight Station (CFS) acts as a holding area and an extension of a port where containers are brought from / taken to the port. Customs clearance, cargo consolidation and other related activities happen at a CFS to reduce congestion at the port. Nominees for this award will be judged by their capacity, infrastructure, cargo handling equipment, efficiency, speedy evacuation, rail & road connectivity, storage space, value-added services and customer service, along with efforts towards environmental sustainability such as adopting green practices, energy-efficient systems, and measures to reduce overall environmental impact. (Only one nomination from one Company will be accepted. Multiple nominations are not allowed from same owner)
CFS Company is a group company that own and operate their own CFSs across India to facilitate the trade with better services. Container freight station acts as an extension of a port where containers are brought from / taken to the port. Customs clearance, cargo consolidation and other related activities happen at a CFS to reduce congestion at the port. Nominees for this award will be judged by their overall capacity, infrastructure, cargo handling equipment, connectivity with ports, efficiency, rail & road connectivity, Total storage space, value-added services and customer service.
A Coastal Operator is a ship owner who handles cargo movement among Indian ports. Judging criteria includes fleet size, operational services, number of routes, number of vessel calls, expansions and new investments made, along with efforts towards environmental sustainability such as adopting green practices, energy-efficient systems, and measures to reduce overall environmental impact.
A Freight Forwarder is a forwarding agent who takes care of all transactions like arranging storage and shipping of merchandise on behalf of clients. A Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) can also apply under this category. Judging criteria includes volume handled, no. of offices, quick cargo movement, high network, reach, quality of customer service, expansions and new investments.
Logistics Technology Provider offers a unique, innovative, and smart technology platform that enables faster shipping, increases profitability, optimizes operational costs, and enhances overall customer experience. These companies deliver a seamless, online workflow by streamlining and integrating operations across multiple business verticals. This award recognises the provider’s advancements in digital capabilities, efficiency improvements, customer-centric services, and technology-driven solutions designed to elevate logistics performance across the value chain.
This award recognizes a maritime educational institute that offers superior training to the seafarers to become more competent and efficient with best maritime knowledge. Judging criteria includes Institute’s physical infrastructure, real time exposure, student-centric teaching methodology, quality of education, well experienced faculty and quality of training etc.
This award recognizes the most impactful and powerful social responsibility and sustainable initiatives of organization benefiting communities at large. Judging criteria includes responding to natural disasters and calamities, long term sustainable community building and welfare programmes, skill development and social empowerment.
*They will be nominated by editorial board of Maritime Gateway and Jury