Explained: What makes the Vadhavan Port so special!

Vadhavan Port is a proposed new port that is going to be the country’s 13th major port. Situated near the town of Dhanu, in the Palghar district of Maharashtra, the state will have its 3rd port and the country’s first mega port. The project is to be executed jointly by Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) and Maharashtra Maritime Board. The port is an ambitious part of the Sagarmala Program which focuses on enhancing and promoting the Indian ports as a fundamental contributor to the nation’s GDP. JNPT is currently India’s largest port and 28th largest globally. It is believed that once in operation, Vadhavan port can be expected to be among the top 10 container ports in the world. The reason for the need for this port is due to the soaring demand of the containers where JNPT is at a verge of saturation with the capacity of 10 million TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units) which is estimated to have a drastic increase of 25 million TEU by 2030. So, once the JNPT meets its threshold capacity, Vadhavan Port can take over the load and traffic! The port is to be built on 5,000 acres of land which is reclaimed near the town Dhanu. It is a part of the national infrastructure development plan under a budget of ₹100 trillion. This project is estimated to cost ₹65,500 crores. Vadhavan Port will be implemented by Public-Private Partnership (PPP) and it will adopt the landlord model for mutual benefit and a fast pace completion. JNPT led Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) will construct basic infrastructure using a budget of ₹16,140 crores. This will include building breakwaters, rail line, enhancing road connectivity, electricity, and water lines. To avoid the traffic, Vadhavan Port will have a dedicated road and rail services; this will curb the disturbances caused due to local clutter. Vadhavan port has myriads benefits to serve. One of the prime advantages is its natural draft which is about 20m close to the shore. It will aid in accommodating huge container ships as well as breakbulk cargo liquid including LNG. The port will host containers of 16,000-25,000 TEU capacity, which will boost the economic scale and significantly reduce the expenses on logistics. Its ideal location and geological condition make it more favourable. The Vadhavan Port will be at a distance of 140km from Mumbai and 150km from JNPT. It is also at a proximal distance from some of the vital National Highways and corridors; for instance, it is just at a distance of 34km from Delhi- Mumbai Freight corridor, 22km from Mumbai- Baroda expressway. It will be an all-weather all cargo port; hence it will base numerous cargoes of different types throughout the year without being affected by the fluctuating conditions of the weather. With a plethora of advantages in its bag, Vadhavan Port will effectuate employment, ensuring the country’s economic growth and development. The project will also enhance business opportunities and a substantial increase in warehousing. The port being proximal to numerous highways and corridors, the connectivity will result in the development of roadways and railways. Presuming such advancement, the port will contribute to a rapid development of the country; therefore Vadhavan Port is genuinely a boon to the nation’s progress!