Once completed it is expected to be one of the 10 biggest ports in the world
NEW DELHI: The Cabinet on Wednesday approved developing a major greenfield port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra, which will be an integral part of the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEEC). The development of this port – strategically located close to the international trade route, and with a potential to attract mother vessels – will entail an investment of around Rs 76,200 crore.Another Rs 4,000 crore will be spent in building road and rail links.
Union I&B minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said with the operationalisation of the port, the country’s container handling capacity will be doubled. Vadahavan port with 20-metre natural depth will have the capacity to handle 23.3 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent unit), a measure of volume in units of twenty-foot-long containers. It will emerge as one of the 10 biggest ports in the world and will create up to 12 lakh jobs.
The port, located around 130 km from Mumbai, will be developed in two phases – first phase by 2030 and second phase by 2039 – and will have a cumulative capacity to handle 298 million tonne cargo per annum. A joint venture of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and Maritime Board of Maharashtra will develop this infrastructure project on public private participation mode. There will be no funding from the Budget.
“The port will act as the main feeder port IMEEEC and propel cargo movement to Chabahar Port in Iran and to International North South Transport Corridor as well,” said Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal.
The new port will get nine container terminals of 1km length each; four multipurpose berths of 250 metres each and another four berths for handling liquid cargo.
The dredged material will be used to reclaim 1,448 hectares that will be used for construction of berths for container and general cargo vessels, storage yard for containers and other cargo, rail yard and lines, internal roads and utility services. Around 571 hectares will be acquired for rail and road connectivity to the port.