The Shipping Ministry will award 30 port projects during the current financial year, which are likely to come up at an investment of about Rs 25,000 crore (Rs 250 billion).
"We have already finalised the Action Plan for this year and a target of 30 port development projects has been fixed," Shipping Minister G K Vasan said at the agreement signing ceremony between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust and DP World's subsidiary, Nhava Sheva Gateway Terminal.
"These projects will bring in an additional capacity of 288 million tonnes per annum at an estimated investment of Rs 24,633 crore (Rs 246.33 billion)," Vasan said.
"I am confident that the targets for the current year will be achieved by all the Major Ports," Vasan said. Of the total 30 port projects, 19 projects will come up through the PPP (Public Private Partnership) mode, seven via captive or private and the remaining through the port's own resources.
The government last year (2012-13) awarded 32 projects which will add a capacity of about 137 million tonnes per annum at an estimated investment of Rs 6,765 crore.
Meanwhile, the ministry has engaged RITES (Rail India Technical and Economic Service) for preparing feasibility report for the proposed Dugarajapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh. The report is already prepared for the proposed port at Sagar in West Bengal.
"There is a plan to set up another container terminal at JNPT, the 4th container terminal at an investment of Rs 8,000 crore and increase the capacity to 60 million tonnes," Shipping Secretary P K Sinha said.
There are 12 major ports in the country -- Mumbai, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust, Kolkata (with Haldia), Chennai, Visakhapatanam, Cochin, Paradip, New Mangalore, Marmagao, Ennore, Tuticorin and Kandla.
