Dutch envoy flags Kerala as key Indo–Netherlands shipping partner

Netherlands Ambassador to India, Nepal and Bhutan, Marisa Gerards, has identified India’s shipping sector as a major investment frontier for Dutch businesses, highlighting Kerala’s coastline as a natural anchor for deeper maritime collaboration between the two countries.

​Speaking at an interaction organised by the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Cochin, Gerards said Kerala’s strategic location on key east–west trade lanes makes it a strong candidate for joint investments in port‑led development, logistics and allied maritime services. She noted that coastal states like Kerala can play a pivotal role in expanding Indo–Dutch ties in areas such as port infrastructure, coastal shipping and multimodal connectivity.

​“There exists substantial potential for investment within India’s shipping sector, and a coastal region like Kerala offers distinctive opportunities for Dutch and Indian companies to work together and scale global trade,” the envoy observed, underlining the Netherlands’ interest in long‑term, partnership‑driven projects. She also pointed to complementarities in agri‑trade, agri‑tech and value‑added exports, where stronger maritime connectivity could support supply chains between Indian ports and Dutch gateways such as Rotterdam.

​Gerards was accompanied by Ewout De Wit, Consul General of the Netherlands, signalling the importance The Hague attaches to its economic engagement with India’s southern maritime corridor. Drawing on her earlier posting as Consul General in Bengaluru, she said the Netherlands is keen to back India’s development story through sustainable investments, technology sharing and knowledge exchange in logistics and shipping.

​Industry representatives and chamber members used the session to flag opportunities in ship‑related services, port‑based industries and coastal logistics, while seeking Dutch collaboration in green port technologies and maritime innovation. Chamber chairperson Raj Gupta, who presided over the meeting, said the dialogue sets the stage for follow‑up talks aimed at converting Indo–Dutch shipping synergies on Kerala’s coast into concrete projects in the coming years.