Cabinet approves development of all-weather greenfield deep-draft Major Port at Vadhvan in Maharashtra
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, has given its approval for setting up a Major Port at Vadhvan near Dahanu in Maharashtra by Vadhvan Port Project Limited (VPPL), an SPV formed by Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) with a shareholding of 74% and 26%, respectively. Vadhvan Port will be developed as an all-weather, greenfield, deep-draft Major Port at Vadhvan, Palghar District, Maharashtra on the ‘Landlord’ model.
Mr Unmesh Sharad Wagh, IRS, Chairman of JNPA, commented on this momentous development during an interaction with the media on Thursday, “As we set sail towards the development of the Vadhvan Port, it brings us immense pride and eager anticipation to unveil the collaborative effort between the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and the Maharashtra Maritime Board. This alliance aims to cater to the burgeoning maritime traffic, marking the dawn of a new chapter filled with growth and opportunities. The project will be implemented by Vadhvan Port Project Limited, an SPV of JNPA and MMB. We express our sincere gratitude to Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW), and Hon’ble Secretary Shri T. K. Ramachandran, MoPSW, for their leadership and guidance for charting the course of the port”.
Vadhvan Port outlay
The total project cost, including the component of land acquisition, is `76,220 crore. This will include core infrastructure, terminals and other commercial infrastructure in PPP mode. The port infrastructure comprises 9 container terminals, each of 1,000 meters length, 4 multipurpose berths, 4 liquid cargo berths, a RoRo berth, a coastal cargo berth, and a Coast Guard berth. The project involves reclamation of 1,448 hectares in offshore area and construction of 10.14 km of breakwater, container/cargo storage areas. The Cabinet also approved establishing road connectivity between the port and National Highways by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and rail linkage to existing rail network and the upcoming Dedicated Rail Freight Corridor by the Ministry of Railways (MoR).
India’s trade policies and the maritime transport sector developments have resulted in high growth of containerisation in the country. India’s maritime sector is set to transform with a comprehensive roadmap launched during the Global Maritime India Summit. The ‘Amrit Kaal Vision 2047’, formulated by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, builds on the Maritime India Vision 2030 and aims to develop world class ports and promote inland water transport, coastal shipping and a sustainable maritime sector. The capacity in three major container handling ports on the West Coast will be fully utilised by 2029 and capacity requirements are to the extent of 24 million TEUs. This capacity is expected to be met by Vadhvan Port.
The proposed deep-draft all-weather Major Port at Vadhvan will augment the national container handling capacity by 23.2 million TEUs and will facilitate calling of mega size container vessels capable of carrying 24,000 TEUs. With the development of Vadhvan, India will have one among the top 10 container ports in the world. The capacities created will also aid EXIM trade flow through IMEC (India Middle East Europe Economic corridor) and INSTC (International North South Transportation Corridor). The world class maritime terminals promote public private partnerships (PPP), leverage efficiencies and modern technologies to create state-of-the-art facilities capable of handling mainline mega vessels plying on international shipping lanes between the Far East, Europe, Middle East, Africa and Americas.
Green Port initiative
At the heart of this project lies a commitment to environmental stewardship. The development of Vadhvan Port is envisaged as a “greenfield” initiative, emphasising sustainable practices and minimal disruption to local ecosystems. Through meticulous planning and consultation, the aim is to achieve harmony between progress and conservation. The proposed port at Vadhvan intends integrating sustainable solutions, ranging from renewable energy adoption to efficient port operations like shore power for ships and only electrical or green fuel transport vehicles in the port ecosystem. By embracing green initiatives and innovative technologies, VPPL aspires to set new benchmarks for port development in India by being a zero emission port, ushering in a sustainable and prosperous future.
The project development will create employment opportunities and aid in skilling of the local youth both during construction and operationalisation of the terminals, and fishermen whose livelihood will be adversely affected will be compensated as per State Govt policies. The project will add to economic activity and also have potential for direct and indirect employment opportunities for more than 10,00,000 individuals directly and indirectly, as per a communique.
Talking about the myriad advantages of Vadhvan Port, Mr Wagh said, “The strategic placement of Vadhvan Port will facilitate the call of container traffic. The port will bridge international and Indian coasts, that will accelerate the economies of scale and mitigate the logistics cost. Moreover, the port will also address the EXIM needs of industries situated in Vapi, Indore, Karnataka and Maharashtra. The vision under ‘Amrit Kaal 2047’ to develop a mega port with 300 MTPA will be fulfilled by Vadhvan Port”.
Source : Exim News Service: Mumbai, June 20