JNPA expansion to take container handling capacity to 10 million TEUs: Sonowal

The container handling capacity of Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPA) is set to be expanded to 10 million TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units), Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal said during an event on August 22.

The expansion plans for the port is slated to commence in April 2025, enabling it to cater to the rising demands of domestic and international trade.

JNPA's expansion is critical for India's maritime trade, as it handles more than half of the country's containerized cargo. The expansion plan which is expected to be concluded by 2029, would scale up the capacity from the current  of 6.5 million containers. Sonowal also flagged plans of making the port eco-friendly and stated it as 'future course of action'.

Meanwhile, Sonowal inaugurated sustainability projects within the JN Port complex and attended the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony among
JN Port Authority (JNPA), Rural Electrification Corporation (REC) and Vadhavan Port to shore up financing for infrastructure projects. JNPA did not disclose the  amount of loan that is to be disbursed by REC.