Karnataka Maritime Board

What Karnataka Maritime Board does

Karnataka Maritime Board (KMB) is a statutory body established by the Government of Karnataka in 2017 under the Infrastructure Development, Ports and Inland Water Transport Department. KMB is the sole state-level authority responsible for the rapid development and management of Ports, Inland Waterways, Islands, and the coastal region of Karnataka. It operates 13 non-major ports along the state's ~150 nautical mile coastline spanning three coastal districts (Uttara Kannada, Udupi, and Dakshina Kannada), with only Karwar and Old Mangalore functioning as all-weather green-field ports. The board also regulates and operates inland water transport through 123 ferries across Karnataka's navigable river systems, with only 11 ferries directly operated by the department and the remainder managed through public auctions, panchayats, and taluk-level administration.

KMB generates revenue through three primary streams: port tariffs and fees (cargo handling, berth fees, service charges at 13 non-major ports), ferry operations (fares from 123 ferries across inland waterways), and government budgetary allocations for infrastructure development projects under central schemes such as Sagarmala and PMMSY. The board is currently executing a significant pipeline of capital projects, including harbour redevelopment under PMMSY, Mangalore's first water metro, India's first international cruise port in Mangaluru, water aerodromes across four locations, and a proposed dedicated berth for Lakshadweep connectivity. It is also developing mega ports through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) routes and administers the Karnataka Maritime Development Policy 2024 framework.

The board is chaired by the Hon. Chief Minister of Karnataka (D.K. Shivakumar) and led by CEO H.C. Balachandra (appointed April 3, 2025). Operational governance is distributed across four divisional offices in Karwar, Honnavar, Kundapur, and Mangalore, with a regional coordination office in Bengaluru. As a wholly government-owned statutory entity, KMB does not raise private capital, is not publicly traded, and operates under public governance oversight rather than market-driven shareholder dynamics.

Name

Karnataka Maritime Board

Legal name

Karnataka Maritime Board

Website

https://karnatakamaritime.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Karnataka Maritime Board is a statutory body of the Government of Karnataka, established in 2017, that manages 13 non-major ports along the state's coastline and 123 inland waterway ferries. It serves commercial shipping, fishing communities, ferry passengers, and tourism operators across Karnataka's three coastal districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Port Management & Maritime Services

NAICS

Inland Water Transportation (4832), Water Transportation (483), Inland Water Transportation (48321), Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation (48311)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Maritime & Port Authorities (Public Ports, Harbors, Ferries Terminals) (BPAIALAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Publicly Operated Ferry Authorities (Municipal/Regional) (TLAFALAK), Marine Terminals & Cargo Handling Infrastructure (RoRo, Bulk, Container) (IMAFAJAF)

Keywords

• Port management services
• Inland water transport
• Maritime infrastructure
• Coastal development
• Ferry services

Headquarters

HQ city

Karwar

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Port tariffs and fees: Revenue generated from port operations including cargo handling charges, berth fees, and service charges at 13 non-major ports.
2. Ferry operations: Revenue from 123 ferries operating across inland waterways, including 11 department-operated ferries and those under auction/panchayat management.
3. Government funding: Government budgetary allocations for infrastructure development projects like Sagarmala and PMMSY.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Karnataka Maritime Board manages 13 non-major ports along Karnataka's ~150 nautical mile coastline and operates 123 ferries across inland waterways. It develops and administers maritime infrastructure including harbour redevelopment, cruise port facilities, water metro systems, and dedicated berths, while implementing central government programmes such as PMMSY and Sagarmala.

Product overview

Karnataka Maritime Board (KMB) is a statutory body established by the Government of Karnataka in 2017 to manage Ports, Inland Waterways, Islands and coastal region development. KMB operates a portfolio of 13 non-major ports along Karnataka's ~150 nautical mile coastline, with core services including port management and operations, inland water transport through 123 ferries across navigable river systems, and major infrastructure projects. The organization is currently executing harbour redevelopment under PMMSY, developing India's first international cruise port in Mangaluru, implementing Karnataka's first water metro in Mangalore, and building a dedicated berth for Lakshadweep connectivity. KMB also manages the Karnataka Maritime Development Policy 2024 framework and Sagarmala projects for holistic maritime development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Non-Major Ports Management Management and operations of 13 non-major ports across Karnataka's coastline including Karwar, Keni, Belekeri, Tadadi, Pavinakurve, Manki, Honnavar, Bhatkal, Kundapura, Hangarakatta, Malpe, Padubidri, and Old Mangalore. Of these, only Karwar and Old Mangalore are all-weather green-field ports; the rest operate as anchorage and lighterage ports, serving trading companies, exporters, and the fishing community with cargo handling, berth allocation, and trade hub connectivity.
• Inland Water Transport (Ferry Services) Operations and regulation of inland water transport through 123 ferries across Karnataka's navigable river systems including east-flowing rivers (Krishna, Tungabadra, Vedavathi) and west-flowing rivers (Kalinadi, Hattikeri, Gangavali, Sharavathi). 11 ferries are department-operated, 14 by public auction, ~30 by Taluk/Gram Panchayat/Dam, and 98 by Taluks, Villages and Zilla Panchayats, serving commuter and passenger transport needs.
• Harbour Redevelopment under PMMSY Harbour redevelopment project executed by KMB under the central government's Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) to modernize fishing harbour infrastructure for the fishing community in Dakshina Kannada district, including upgraded facilities for ice stocking, boat parking, and fish unloading operations.
• Mangalore Water Metro Karnataka's first water metro project approved by the Chief Minister to provide water transport connectivity in Mangalore, offering modern inland water commuter transit service.
• International Cruise Port (Mangaluru) India's first international cruise port being developed at Mangaluru to serve coastal and international tourism, cruise operators, and hospitality companies with dedicated cruise berthing facilities.
• Proposed Dedicated Berth to Lakshadweep Proposed dedicated berth facility for providing maritime connectivity to Lakshadweep islands from Karnataka's coast, supporting inter-island and mainland cargo and passenger movement.
• Water Aerodrome Project
• Sagarmala Projects Maritime infrastructure development projects implemented by KMB under the central government's Sagarmala programme (Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways) for port-led development, including port modernization, connectivity, and coastal infrastructure projects.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• PMMSY (Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentral government scheme under which Karnataka Maritime Board is executing harbour redevelopment projects for fishing communities.
• Sagarmala ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways initiative for port-led development. Karnataka Maritime Board is implementing Sagarmala projects for maritime infrastructure development.
• PPP (Public-Private Partnership) Route PartnersmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKMB is developing mega ports through PPP route, involving private sector participation in port infrastructure development and operations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Karnataka Maritime Board