Vadhavan Port Set to Become India’s Largest on IMEEC Corridor Following Capacity Increase – Times of India
The new port has a natural draft of about 20 metres close to the shore, making it possible for it to handle bigger vessels. It will enable the call of container vessels of 16,000-25,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) capacity, giving advantages of economies of scale and reducing logistics cost.
The world’s largest container handling modern deep draft ports require a draft of 18-20 metres. JNPT and Mundra, the two largest container handling ports of the country, have drafts of 15-16 metres, respectively.
The Vadhavan port will be designed to handle around 254 million tonnes (MT) of cargo. “Since primarily, container cargo will be moved on the IMEEC, Vadhavan port will play a key role where the biggest vessels can be berthed. Lots of work is underway to improve the transport of cargo and containers from and to the ports on the western coasts to be fully ready to meet the demand,” said an official.
Moreover, the setting up of a container terminal at Tuna Terka (Kandla), which is expected to commence operations by early 2027, capable of handling next-generation vessels of more than 18,000 TEUs without any pre-berthing detention for want of the tide and total capacity of 2.19 million TEU per annum, will also come as a big boost to handle more containers on the western coast.
The initial 1,600-1,800 km of the IMEEC will be the sea link that will connect ports on India’s west coast with Fujairah in the UAE.
Perspective:
The expansion of Vadhavan Port on India’s western coast is a significant step towards developing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEEC). With the capacity enhancement of existing ports and the construction of Vadhavan Port, India will be fully prepared to meet the additional demand generated by the IMEEC. The deep draft and infrastructure of Vadhavan Port will enable it to handle bigger vessels and container cargo, reducing logistics costs and benefiting from economies of scale. This development will not only boost India’s trade capabilities but also strengthen its position as a crucial link in international maritime trade routes.
