NewzVille Desk
To expand capacity at the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, Mumbai, Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal launched multiple projects worth nearly ₹2,000 crore on Tuesday.
MoUs were also signed to develop Warehousing facilities, Port Facilitation Centre along with a Business Facilitation Centre. Minister Sonowal also performed Bhoomi Pujan for development of a CBSE School building within the Port premises for community development through education.
Chairman of JNPA & VPPL, Unmesh Sharad Wagh , representatives of HUDCO, Reliance Industries Limited and other dignitaries were also present on the occasion.
Addressing the gathering Sonowal said, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) is amongst top global ports and India’s largest port by crossing 10 million Twenty-Foot equivalent Units (TEUs) capacity in January 2025 and poised to achieve 10 million TEUs throughput by 2027.
In 2024, the port handled the highest ever container volume of 7.05 million TEUs, performing at more than 90 per cent capacity. It had an annual growth of 11 per cent Year on Year last year as compared to the previous calendar year. With the commissioning of the second phase of Bharat Mumbai Container Terminal (BMCT) in January 2025, another 2.4 million TEUs is added to JNPA’s total capacity.
The upgrade of Nhava Sheva Freeport Terminal (NSFT) in 2025 is also likely to add capacity to the port. With the growth projections of the current rate, the container handling capacity is expected to go up to 10.4 million TEUs.
Minister Sonowal said, “It is a remarkable feat for JNPA as well as for the whole of the marine sector of India. our team has been working to create value out of idle resources while adding capacity at the same time innovative value propositions.”
Emphasizing on JNPA’s development Sonowal said that With growing infrastructure, including creating capacity to handle larger vessels, JNPA is poised to play a crucial role as a key gateway for India’s global trade. As India’s trade volume increases, from sectors as diverse as manufacturing to textiles, from electronics to agriculture, our ports are investing in capacity building as well as creating efficient solutions to support growing container traffic.
Major MoUs were signed in the presence of the Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for the development of the Vadhavan Port Project. A MoU between VPPL and Reliance Industries Limited allocates Liquid Jetty along with 50 acres of land at Vadhavan port under PPP model. This investment is estimated at ₹645 crore and is likely to commence by 2030.
Another MoU between VPPL and Dr Balasaheb Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth Dapoli (DBKKVD) was signed for development and implementing integrated agricultural and horticultural plan for shortlisted villages in Dahanu and Palghar in and around Vadhavan.
In a significant step toward fostering collaboration in the infrastructure sector, a robust working partnership has been established between VPPL and HUDCO. This partnership aims to enhance coordination, collaboration, and resource sharing, adhering to all applicable laws, rules, and regulations governing the parties.
As part of this agreement, HUDCO has committed to providing funding of up to ₹25,000 crore for the development of new ports and Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects.
This strategic alliance leverages VPPL’s expertise in implementing large-scale infrastructure projects and HUDCO’s financial acumen to deliver impactful solutions in the infrastructure domain. This partnership aligns with the broader vision of driving sustainable infrastructure development and is expected to catalyze significant progress in port development and other related projects, bolstering India’s economic growth and global competitiveness.
JNPA Special Economic Zone, India’s first port-based operational multi-product SEZ is making significant strides in industrial development. Spanning an expansive 277.38 hectares of prime land, JNPA SEZ is strategically positioned with seamless connectivity through water, road, rail, and air.
