Columbia Group’s first India capability centre, a 20,000 sq ft office at Mindspace Business Park in Navi Mumbai with room for about 220 staff, had been completed by August 2026 after the Cyprus based maritime group announced its India hub in January, and it handles ship management, performance optimisation, digital solutions, travel services, training coordination and operational support alongside the group’s hub in the Philippines.
Columbia Group is a maritime services group headquartered in Limassol, Cyprus, and owned by Schoeller Holdings. Through Columbia Shipmanagement it provides crewing and technical services for about 585 vessels, and the group employs more than 20,000 people at sea and ashore across over 25 offices, crewing agencies and training centres. It already runs an established hub in the Philippines, and its recent expansion has also included a larger office in Istanbul.
What the centre does
Columbia announced its India hub, CSM India, in January 2026 and said it would recruit about 220 professionals across its business areas. Its first India capability centre covers 20,000 sq ft at Mindspace Business Park in Navi Mumbai, accommodates a workforce of 220 and had been completed by August 2026.
The centre supports several group companies with ship management, performance optimisation, digital solutions, travel services, training coordination and operational support, working with global teams on service delivery, compliance and professional development. Seafarer training is not yet part of the India operation, though the company has said it could be considered later. The office uses a modular layout that allows phased growth, with IT infrastructure for round the clock global coordination.
Why Navi Mumbai
Columbia has described India as one of the world’s most important maritime markets and said the hub would bring it closer to its people, partners and clients, while complementing the Philippines base with different service functions. It has not given specific reasons for choosing Navi Mumbai.
What it signals
Columbia presents the India centre as a complement to its Philippines hub rather than a replacement, with each site handling distinct functions. Moving ship management, digital and support work into India adds shore based capacity close to a large maritime market. The project has carried through a leadership change, with a new chief executive appointed in April 2026 who has said growth must be measured and profitable. A 220 seat centre built to grow in phases fits that approach.
At a glance
- Home country: Cyprus
- Sector: Logistics and Supply Chain
- City: Navi Mumbai
- Date: August 2026
- Status: Operational
- Set-up partner: Not disclosed
- Focus: Business Operations, Technology and IT
Source: Team One Architects Delivers Columbia Group’s First Global Capability Centre in India
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