Vadhvan Port will help take India into top 10 global ports: Sonowal

 The port off the coast of Dahanu in Maharashtra being developed under a public-private partnership will be able to handle ultra large vessels as well, he said, speaking at a maritime event organised by industry lobby grouping FICCI. “The PPP project will position India among the top 10 global container ports by 2034,” he said.

The Minister said without waterways, human civilisation would be impossible and added that bond of friendship between countries is also strengthened by waterways. Stating that in the last ten years, the waterways sector has helped in GDP growth, the minister said major ports now handle 820 MT of cargo annually, 47 pc up from 2014. Port capacity has doubled to 1,630 MT.

He said the government is developing Kandla, Paradip and Tuticorin as green hydrogen hubs. The updated shipbuilding financial assistance policy has catalysed domestic ship building securing Rs 10,500 crore of orders while creating supply chain and job opportunities, he said.

By 2047, India will achieve a capacity of 10,000 MT per annum supported by world class infrastructure, cutting-edge tech and robust regulatory framework, the minister said, asserting that India wants to be the best in the world.

Last year, a global maritime summit yielded 360 Memorandum of Understandings with commitment to invest more than Rs 80 lakh crore in the next 25 years, the minister said, adding that a similar event will be held in October this year.