Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal  announced proposed investments worth Rs 57,000 crore to significantly enhance the capacity and efficiency of Kandla Port in Gujarat. 

The announcement includes two major projects—a Mega Shipbuilding Facility and a new cargo terminal—aimed at bolstering the port’s infrastructure and operations.

The proposed Rs 30,000 crore Mega Shipbuilding Facility at Kandla Port will enable the country to develop technical capabilities for manufacturing large Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) and similar vessels with capacities of up to 3,20,000 tonnes DWT. 

The facility will have an annual capacity to produce 32 new ships and repair 50 older vessels. Spread across more than 8,000 acres, the state-of-the-art facility will also include a marina, a fishing harbour, residential townships, and a marine industrial cluster, according to an official release.

The second project, a new 135 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) cargo terminal outside the Kandla Creek, will be built at an estimated cost of ₹27,000 crore. This terminal, which will utilize a 6-km waterfront near Tuna, will replace existing dry bulk cargo jetties with modern handling equipment and efficient evacuation systems. The upgraded infrastructure is expected to improve the turn-around time for vessels carrying liquid cargo. 

“The new facility at Kandla Port will not only significantly augment its operations but also enhance efficiency through the segregation of dry and liquid cargo,” Sonowal said.