Mumbai’s historic Sassoon Dock to be transformed into modern, eco-friendly fishing harbour

Mumbai: The iconic Sassoon Dock at Colaba in Mumbai — will be transformed into a modern and environmentally sustainable fishing harbour of global standards.

The one-and-a-half-century-old Sassoon Dock is owned by the Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT).

The Sassoon Dock was formally inaugurated on 8 June 1875.

The Sassoon Docks were built in 1875 on reclaimed land by Albert Sassoon, son of David Sassoon, a prominent businessman and philanthropist.

It was the first commercial wet dock in Bombay, as Mumbai was then known — which has helped establishing cotton trades.

As part of the transformation drive, Maharashtra Fisheries Development Corporation Ltd (MFDC) has inked an agreement with Finland-based companies Helvar, Mirasys and River Recycle.

Fisheries and Ports Minister Nitesh Rane said Sassoon Dock is one of the major fishing harbours in the country and plays a key role in Maharashtra’s fisheries economy.

“Under this collaboration, Helvar, Mirasys, and River Recycle will support energy-efficient lighting systems, AI-based surveillance solutions, as well as initiatives for recycling fishing nets and promoting health and sanitation awareness,” said Rane.

With about 1,560 registered motorized fishing boats and an average annual fish production of 50,000–60,000 metric tons, Sassoon Dock plays a significant role in the fisheries economy of Maharashtra as well as India.

“The government’s goal is to transform Sassoon Dock into a modern, efficient, clean, and environmentally sustainable fishing harbour,” Rane said, adding that the collaboration will help with plastic waste recycling, recycling of discarded fishing nets, and strengthening the net-repair system through capacity building.

Rane also appealed for collective efforts to make Sassoon Dock a symbol of progress, innovation, and prosperity for the fishing community, while remaining committed to fishermen’s welfare, modernization of fisheries infrastructure, and sustainable coastal development.

The event was attended by Erik af Hallstrom, Consul General of Finland; Jukka Salovaara, Permanent State Secretary; Saju Nair; Anna Kuittinen; N. Ramaswami, Secretary, Fisheries Department; Dr. Vijay Suryavanshi, Commissioner, Fisheries Department; and Prakash Khapale, Managing Director, MFDC