Vadhvan Port Project Ltd has invited global bids worth ₹19,238.57 crore for dredging, land reclamation, and construction of an offshore protection bund for the upcoming Vadhvan Port in Maharashtra. The project will be executed on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis under the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM) — the first such instance in India for dredging and reclamation works at a new port.
Vadhvan Port Project Ltd, a joint venture of Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (74%) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (26%), is developing the ₹76,220-crore port, set to become India’s largest public port with an annual handling capacity of 298 million tonnes (mt), including 23.2 million TEUs.
The dredging and reclamation works will create 1,207 hectares of reclaimed land in two phases — Phase I at ₹14,301.35 crore and Phase II at ₹4,937.23 crore. Under the HAM structure, 45% of project costs will be borne upfront by Vadhvan Port Project Ltd, while the private partner will fund the remaining 55%. The concession period is 15 years, including five years for phased construction and 10 years for operations and maintenance. The 10-year O&M cost for the shore protection bund is estimated at ₹171.79 crore. Contracts will be awarded to the lowest bidder.
The HAM model is expected to ensure timely execution of Phase I by 2030, optimize costs, and share project risks with private operators. Separately, bids have also been invited for a 10.14 km breakwater costing around ₹5,300 crore — another critical component of the port’s development.
Earlier, ITD Cementation India Ltd, part of the Adani Group, secured a ₹1,648-crore EPC contract for nearshore reclamation and shore protection works. Once completed, the port’s cargo terminals will be developed through PPP.
Designed with nine container terminals spanning 9,000 meters of quay length and over 100 quay-side gantry cranes, Vadhvan Port will handle next-generation container vessels (350 meters and above). It will also house liquid cargo berths, Ro-Ro facilities, breakbulk/general cargo berths, a common rail yard, tank farms, and extensive storage facilities.
