Indian Maritime University

Indian Maritime University (IMU) is a public central university functioning directly under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of India. It is regarded as the national institution for maritime education, commercial shipping, marine engineering, and maritime administration, and is considered India's premier institution for training merchant Navy officers. IMU was established by the Indian Maritime University Act 2008, coming into being on 14 November 2008. Prior to its formation, seven teaching and research institutes under the Ministry of Shipping—including the National Maritime Academy, Chennai; Training Ship Chanakya, Mumbai; and others—were subsumed into IMU. The university has all-India jurisdiction, with its headquarters located in Chennai, and operates six campuses in Chennai, Kochi, Kolkata, Mumbai Port, Navi Mumbai, and Visakhapatnam. Admissions to its programs are conducted through the IMUCET entrance examination held annually across the country. The Chennai campus traces its origins to 1984, when the National Institute of Port Management was established with technical assistance from UNDP/UNCTAD; it later became the National Maritime Academy before being renamed as IMU's Chennai campus in 2008. The Chennai campus offers programs such as B.Sc. in Nautical Science, B.Tech. in Marine Engineering, MBA programs in port and shipping management, and BBA in Logistics. As of 2025, IMU has 21 affiliated colleges.