India’s Mega Ports Set Sail: First Phase Of Vadhavan And Great Nicobar To Go Operational By 2029

India is gearing up for a major leap in its maritime infrastructure with first phase of two mega ports—Vadhavan and the International Container Transshipment Port (ICTP) at Great Nicobar—on track to become operational by 2029.

Speaking to ET, Union Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal confirmed that work at Vadhavan is progressing rapidly, with shore protection projects worth Rs 1,700 crore already awarded. Meanwhile, the ICTP at Great Nicobar is advancing through appraisal and approvals, with environmental clearance already secured.

On June 19 last year, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, greenlit the ambitious Vadhavan Port project—an all-weather, deep-draft greenfield port located about 150 km north of Mumbai.

Strategically positioned near Dahanu in Maharashtra’s Palghar district, Vadhavan Port is poised to handle over 23 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), reinforcing India’s position as a global shipping hub.

The port, estimated to cost Rs 76,220 crore, is being developed by Vadhavan Port Project Limited (VPPL), a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB), with an equity share of 74 per cent and 26 per cent respectively.

The port will follow a landlord model, where the SPV will develop basic infrastructure such as breakwaters, rail and road connectivity, power, water lines, and common services.

Vadhavan Port’s state-of-the-art facilities will include nine container terminals, each 1,000 meters long, four multipurpose berths, including the coastal berth, four liquid cargo berths, a Ro-Ro berth, and a Coast Guard berth.

The project involves the reclamation of 1,448 hectares of area in the sea and the construction of 10.14 km of offshore breakwater and container/cargo storage areas. Of the total outlay of ₹76,000 crore, the SPV would invest approximately Rs 30,000 crore, while the rest will come in through public-private partnership.

"Vadhavan will be developed at an estimated cost of Rs 76,000 crore, primarily on public-private partnerships (PPP) with around 24 per cent Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) component," Sonowal said.

He said shore protection works worth Rs 1700 crore have already been awarded on EPC mode. "PPP component 1 of Rs 20,647 crore including reclamation, dredging is in appraisal stage. The first phase of the project will be completed and operationalised by 2029," Sonowal said.

Responding to queries on the ICTP at Great Nicobar, he said this will be India's first transhipment mega port.

"The project is in an advanced stage of appraisal and approvals, with environmental clearance already in place. The first phase is expected to be completed and operational by 2029, with an initial capacity of 4 million TEUs," Sonowal said.