Cabinet likely to okay Rs 76,000-crore Vadhavan Port project in Maharashtra in mega infra push

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs ( CCEA ) is likely to approve the ambitious Vadhavan Port project in Dahanu, Maharashtra, which has an estimated investment of Rs 76,000 crore, sources told Business Today TV.

The Vadhavan Port project, proposed in a public-private partnership (PPP) mode, aims to attract an investment of approximately Rs 38,000 crore from private operators interested in operating the deep-draft port. The development of the port will be undertaken by Vadhavan Port Project Ltd, a special purpose vehicle (SPV) formed through a collaboration between the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).

The project is planned to be executed in two phases. Notably, the port boasts a natural draft of 20 meters at a distance of 5 kilometers from the shore, which will enable the easy docking of large vessels, thereby enhancing its operational efficiency.

Initially, the project faced opposition from local farmers, fishermen, and residents, leading to a reworking of the project details. This revision increased the total project cost from the previously estimated Rs 66,000 crore to over Rs 76,000 crore.

The development of Vadhavan Port will accommodate the movement of container vessels with capacities ranging from 16,000 to 25,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs). According to the Centre, this port will offer economies of scale and lower logistics costs.