India’s Union Council of Ministers, headed by prime minister Narendra Modi, has approved the development of a large port in Vadhavan, on India’s western coast.
The deepwater port is set to be developed through a joint venture of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and Maharashtra Maritime Board. The first of two phases is expected to be completed by 2029.
At a cost of approximately USD 9.14 billion, the port will comprise nine container terminals, four multipurpose berths, four liquid berths, a ro-ro berth, as well as a coast guard berth. It will have a capacity of 298 million tonnes per annum, including 23.2 million teu of container handling capacity.
The development of the port is consistent with India’s overarching infrastructure aims. Located around 150 km from Mumbai, Vadhavan is part of an initiative to establish sea and rail links connecting India with Europe through the Middle East.
The first phase is expected to be completed by 2029.
