Union Cabinet Approves Establishment Of Major Port At Vadhvan Near Dahanu

The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of a major port at Vadhvan near Dahanu in Maharashtra by Vadhvan Port Project Limited (VPPL), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), with a shareholding of 74 per cent and 26 per cent respectively. The Vadhvan Port will be developed as an all-weather Greenfield deep draft major port in Vadhvan, Palghar District, Maharashtra, based on the ‘Land Lord’ model.

Unmesh Sharad Wagh, Chairman of the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority, stated that the alliance between JNPA and MMB aims to cater to the burgeoning maritime traffic, marking the dawn of a new chapter filled with growth and opportunities. While addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Mr Wagh stated that this project would increase the state’s GDP by 1 per cent. Mr. Wagh clarified that this



project will not impact the livelihood of fishermen.

 

The note released by JNPA highlighted that with the development of Vadhvan port, India will rank among the top 10 container ports in the world. The proposed port draft will augment the national container handling capacity by 23.2 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and facilitate the docking of mega-sized container vessels capable of carrying 24,000 TEUs. The capacities created will also aid EXIM trade flow through the India-Middle East Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) and the International North-South Transportation Corridor (INSTC).

 

The total project cost, including the land acquisition component, is 76 thousand 220 crore rupees. According to the note, the project will provide employment opportunities for more than 10 lac individuals directly and indirectly.