Massive Expansion at Jawaharlal Nehru Port to Boost Capacity and Job Creation

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal announced that the Jawaharlal Nehru Port's container handling capacity will scale up to 10 million TEUs. The upcoming Vadhvan Port in Maharashtra will generate 10 lakh jobs and is backed by an investment of Rs 76,200 crore. Multiple MoUs were signed for infrastructure development.

The Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, announced on Thursday that the container handling capacity at Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNP) in Maharashtra is set to be scaled up to 10 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Units (TEUs).

Following a review of various infrastructure and development projects at the port, Sonowal highlighted that the upcoming Vadhvan Port in Palghar district would generate 10 lakh jobs, supported by an investment of Rs 76,200 crore.

Additionally, JNPA officials revealed plans to increase the current container handling capacity from 7.4 million TEUs to 10.4 million TEUs by next April. The port aspires to attract bigger ships through infrastructure advancements and eco-friendly initiatives.

Two significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were signed in the presence of the Minister: one between JNPA, Vadhvan Port, and REC for infrastructure loans, and another with Gateway Terminals India (GTI) for shore power supply implementation.

A new WhatsApp chatbot for the Vadhvan skilling programme was also launched to empower local communities and boost workforce development as part of the Sagarmala Project, which has completed 230 projects with another 220 underway.

(With inputs from agencies.)