JNPT plans Rs. 1,000-cr expansion

In a bid to meet the ever growing cargo handling capacities, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust's (JNPT's) Board has decide to invest a minimum of Rs. 1,000-cr as part of its latest expansion plan. As per initial move, it may either build a new port or buy under-construction ports as the JNPT wants to explore new investment opportunities on the western coast of India. Apart from a port, the investment option that is being explored includes containers, dry ports or port-related infrastructure such as logistics hubs and also creating other ancillary facilities such as wind or solar assets for captive or grid connectivity. At the moment, fourth container terminal is under development at JNPT at an estimated cost of Rs. 7,915-cr on design-build-finance-operate-transfer basis. Its first phase of Rs. 4,719-cr is a 1,000-metre long quay with approach trestles. In addition, JNPT's plan to have all-weather Wadhwan port at Dahanu near Mumbai, is already in the pipeline, which will entail an investment of Rs. 10,000-cr to reclaim around 5,000 acre of land enabling it to serve as a satellite port.