Rs.76,220cr port to have 298 million MT/annum capacity
The Jawaharlal Nehru Ports Authority (JNPA) will use sand from the offshore mineral block, located off the coast of Maharashtra, for the site reclamation and development of the Rs.76,220 crore Greenfield Port at Vadhvan, Palghar, in the state.
The offshore sand block is located off the Daman coast about 50 km from the proposed Vadhvan Port site at a depth varying from 20 m to 25 m, said the Ministry of Mines which has given Letter of Intent (LoI) for sand mining to JNPA.
The offshore construction sand block will meet the requirement of reclamation of about 200 million cubic metres of sand for the development of an all-weather Greenfield Major Port at Vadhvan in Maharashtra.
The Vadhavan Port will create a cumulative capacity of 298 million metric tons per annum, including 23.2 million TEUs (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units) of container handling capacity, and will comprise 9 container terminals, each of 1,000 meters length, 4 multipurpose berths etc https://www.globaltenders.com/.
JNPA, as one of India’s leading port authorities, has played a pivotal role in driving the nation’s trade and logistics ecosystem, the Ministry said on 28 Feb https://ted.europa.eu/en/.
This is the first time a mineral block is being allocated for exploration and production of minerals in the offshore areas of India. The Parliament amended the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development & Regulation) Act, 2002, in August 2023, which, inter alia, introduced provision of reservation of mineral blocks to the Government, Government companies or Corporations for the purposes of the Central Government.
The allocation of the block will significantly reduce land-based dependence of construction sand for development and port operations of JNPA https://sbi.com.in/.
JNPA will be adopting state-of-the-art dredging technology to ensure minimal disruption to marine biodiversity and adhere to the highest environmental standards.
This initiative reflects government’s unwavering commitment to economic growth that is both inclusive and environmentally sustainable, said the Ministry. “This milestone reflects government’s proactive approach in unlocking the vast potential of maritime economy and India’s vast offshore resources,” it added. Fiinews.com
