The Union Cabinet has approved the development of an all-weather deep-water port at Vadhavan near Dahanu in Maharashtra.

• This port, designed to accommodate large container vessels, will be jointly constructed by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) and the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB).
• The JNPA Chairman highlighted the necessity of this project as the JNPA and Mundra ports are nearing their maximum capacities.
• The total project cost is approximately Rs.76,220 crore. It will be developed in two phases, with the first phase expected to be operational by 2029 and the second by 2037.
• The port will have the capacity to handle 23 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units), a capability unmatched by any other port in India due to natural limitations.
• It will feature nine container terminals, each about 1000 meters long, enabling it to harbour the world’s largest vessels, which carry about 24,000 TEUs.