DP World has won a major concession to develop, operate and maintain the mega-container terminal at Deendayal port in Gujarat, on the western coast of India.

The project involves the construction of a mega-container terminal at Tuna-Tekra through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP). Once complete, the terminal will include a 1,100-metre berth, and will be capable of handling vessels carrying more than 18,000 TEUs. Total capacity will be 2.19 million TEUs.

The contract was awarded by the Deendayal Port Authority under on a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) basis.

Once complete, the terminal will help unlock future container traffic growth in India, catering to exports and imports from Northern, Western and Central India, reducing logistics cost and enhancing efficiencies across supply chains. The project will complement initiatives of the Government of India, such as the PM Gati Shakti Master Plan and National Logistics Policy, which has been introduced to provide greater focus on developing multimodal logistics infrastructure promoting economic growth.

DP World’s strategic investments in ports and terminals in the country is aligned with the Indian Government’s Vision 2047, which aims to quadruple the country’s port handling capacity.

Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Group Chairman and CEO of DP World said: “India represents a significant landscape for opportunity. As the value chain becomes more integrated, significant growth opportunities exist across the entire Indian ports and logistics space. With the development of Tuna Tekra mega-container terminal in Gujarat, DP World will be well placed to capture these opportunities, further connecting Northern, Western and Central India with global trade and driving value for all our stakeholders. This is yet another step in our collective efforts with the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund to leverage our expertise in logistics infrastructure and local knowledge to further strengthen India’s supply chain.”

Rizwan Soomar, CEO and MD, India Subcontinent and sub-Saharan Africa, DP World added: “We are honoured to partner with Deendayal Port Authority in developing this new mega-container terminal at Tuna-Tekra. We are confident that our deep expertise in developing critical infrastructure under Public-Private Partnerships will drive value for all stakeholders involved in this project. We remain enthusiastic to continue playing an important role in developing world leading assets to enable trade flow in key markets of India.”

The new terminal will be constructed and equipped with most modern facilities and equipment over an area of approximately 63 hectares. The terminal will be well connected to the hinterland through the network of roads, highways, railways and the Dedicated Freight Corridors.

DP World already operates five marine terminals – two in Mumbai, one each in Mundra, Cochin and Chennai – with a combined capacity of approximately 6 million TEUs and with the addition of Tuna Tekra Container Terminal DP World will have a capacity of 8.19 million TEUs. This is along with seven multimodal inland terminals connected to DP World’s rail network, cold storage facilities and container freight stations. It is also developing three state-of-the-art economic zones across the country in Mumbai, Cochin and Chennai.