India’s maritime sector is experiencing significant growth, which has fostered numerous national and international partnerships and attracted substantial investment. During the entire India Maritime Week 2025, record investments exceeding Rs 12 trillion were secured, marking a landmark moment for India’s maritime sector, as it moves closer to becoming a global maritime powerhouse. Nearly 20 per cent of this massive investment focus was on shipbuilding, underscoring the country’s ambition to rank among the top five shipbuilding nations by 2047. The investments, spanning key regions and diverse maritime sectors, underscore a robust national commitment to shipbuilding, port expansions, technological upgrades and green initiatives that will shape India’s maritime landscape in the future.
India is entering a new phase of maritime expansion driven by rising cargo volumes, shifts in global supply chains and the government’s ambition to position the country as a major logistics and manufacturing hub. To complement capacity at existing major ports and reduce congestion along critical corridors, several large-scale greenfield port projects are now under way across the coastline. These next-generation ports are being designed with deeper draughts, automated cargo-handling systems, multimodal connectivity and future-ready container capacity.
In this changing scenario, the sharp increase in cargo and transshipment volumes is encouraging states to construct greenfield ports. According to India Infrastructure Research, 20 new greenfield ports, involving an investment of over Rs 1.6 trillion, are at various stages of development. On completion, these greenfield port projects are expected to add over 800 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of capacity.
Tracking progress of key port projects
Vadhavan port
The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (JNPA) recently signed multiple MoUs worth over Rs 2.2 trillion focused on enhancing port infrastructure and developing Vadhavan port in Maharashtra’s Palghar district. Notable agreements include an agreement with Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZL) for around Rs 265 billion of offshore projects at Vadhavan port and an additional Rs 250 billion for the development of container terminals; another agreement with Indian Railway Finance Corporation Limited for Rs 200 billion to provide financial support covering the Vadhavan port project. Additional MoUs were signed with Evergreen Marine Corporation and Gulftainer Company for developing terminals at Vadhavan port with investments of Rs 100 billion and Rs 40 billion, respectively, among others.
Meanwhile, in August 2025, Vadhvan Port Project Limited invited bids for the implementation of Package 1A under the project. Currently, bids are under evaluation. The project was estimated to cost Rs 762.2 billion with a capacity of 298 mtpa, including 9.87 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
Connectivity enhancement projects are on the way. For instance, the Maharashtra cabinet has recently approved a 105 km freight corridor linking Vadhavan port to the Samruddhi Expressway, a major boost to hinterland access and logistics efficiency.
Ramayapatnam port
As of August 2025, about 69 per cent of construction work on the Ramayapatnam port project has been completed. The proposal to increase the dredging range from 16 metres to 18.5 metres for the passage of cape-sized ships is yet to be approved. The project includes the development of a greenfield port at Ramayapatnam, comprising major components such as breakwaters, berths and dredging works, at an estimated cost of Rs 106.4 billion, being developed in two phases. The estimated cost and capacity for Phase I of the project are Rs 37.36 billion and 34 mtpa, respectively. It is expected to be completed by June 2026.
The Andhra Pradesh government has also constituted a group of ministers to examine a proposal for enhancing infrastructure and extending the deadline for the completion of the Ramayapatnam port project. The proposal seeks to deepen the port’s draught from 16 metres to 18.5 metres through additional dredging, upgrade berth pocket and approach channel works, and strengthen connectivity via improved road and rail links, plus an expanded cargo handling yard.
Machilipatnam port
As of August 2025, about 45 per cent of construction work on the Machilipatnam port project Phase I has been completed. The project involves the development of a greenfield, modern, all-weather, deep-water, multipurpose port at Machilipatnam in Krishna district in a phased manner on an engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) basis. The estimated cost and capacity of the project are Rs 51.56 billion and 35 mtpa respectively. It is expected to be completed by November 2026.
Recently, a quadripartite agreement has been signed between BEML Limited, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Umeandus Technologies India Private Limited and the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board to jointly develop a real-time automatic cargo evacuation system at Machilipatnam port.
Mulapeta (Bhavanapadu) port
As of August 2025, about 54 per cent of construction work on the project has been completed. The project involves the development of an all-weather port at Bhavanapadu in Srikakulam district on an EPC basis. The proposed port will have a capacity of 23.53 mtpa developed under Phase I and another 83.3 mtpa under Phase II. The project is estimated to cost over Rs 43.62 billion and is expected to be completed by November 2026.
Kakinada Gateway port
As of June 2025, about 29.92 per cent of the construction work on the Kakinada Gateway port project has been completed. In July 2025, the Andhra Pradesh government issued an order for an amendment in the concession agreement for the Kakinada Gateway port project. To facilitate the declaration of the captive port at DL Puram in Anakapalli district for ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel India Limited, the state government decided to remove the word “captive” from the competing facility clause in the concession agreement. The project involves the development of a greenfield commercial port in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, along a 7 km long coastline. It has the potential to accommodate very large cargo vessels after dredging to a depth of 22 metres. The project is being implemented under the public-private partnership (PPP) model and will be developed on 1,650 acres of land, including sea-accreted land. The port is located approximately 25 km northeast of the existing deep-sea port near the Kumbhabhishekam mudflats. The estimated cost and capacity of Phase I of the project are around Rs 26.21 billion and 16 mtpa respectively.
Tajpur port
The West Bengal State Maritime Board has recently issued a fresh global request for proposal for the development of the Tajpur deep-sea port, effectively scrapping the earlier contract awarded to APSEZL. Alongside, the state is offering 1,000 acres of freehold land on a 99-year concession basis for port and associated industrial development. The new tender retains most of the terms of the original bidding process, including design-build-finance-operate-transfer (DBFOT) model, as well as support for necessary rail and road linkages to boost connectivity. A pre-bid meeting is slated for January 14, 2026, with a submission window from February 1 to February 27, 2026. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 72.05 billion.
Galathea Bay international transshipment hub
The detailed project report for the international container transshipment terminal project at Great Nicobar has been prepared. A tender for the project is likely to be issued by July 2026. The project involves the development of a container transshipment terminal with a free trade warehousing zone at Greater Nicobar under the PPP model on a DBFOT basis, including operations and maintenance in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The estimated cost and capacity of the entire project are Rs 443.13 billion and 16 million TEUs respectively. The centre has also notified that the international transshipment hub at Galathea Bay in the Great Nicobar Island is to be developed as a major port.
Bahuda port
The Paradip Port Authority, the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited and the Odisha government signed an MoU for the development of Bahuda port in September 2025. The state government has carried out a pre-techno-economic feasibility study for the project, which is capable of handling 40,000-150,000 deadweight tonnes of dry bulk ships and container ships with a capacity of 6,000 TEUs. Along with this, the port developers aim to tap the state-run Sagarmala Finance Corporation Limited to fund the project. The project involves the construction of a new major 150 mt port at Bahuda at an estimated cost of Rs 215 billion in Odisha.
Looming challenges
Upcoming greenfield port projects in India face a complex mix of land, environmental, financial and governance challenges that frequently delay execution or force design changes.
On the ground, the most immediate hurdle is land acquisition and local opposition. Projects require large coastal tracts, often used by fishing communities and farmers, leading to fears of displacement, livelihood loss and inadequate rehabilitation. Protests, political mobilisation and court cases in coastal villages around Vadhavan and other proposed ports have repeatedly stalled surveys, halted public hearings, and created uncertainty for both government and private developers.
Environmental and regulatory approvals form the second major bottleneck. Greenfield ports demand deep dredging, long breakwaters and associated industrial facilities, raising concerns about shoreline erosion, loss of mangroves and coral, and impacts on marine biodiversity. The Great Nicobar hub, for example, has drawn criticism over the proposed diversion of forest land and potential impacts on endemic species and tribal communities, prompting demands for fresh scrutiny even after formal clearances. Multiple layers of approval, environment, coastal regulation zones, forest, wildlife and coastal zone authorities often operate without predictable timelines, front‑loading approval risk.
Financing and risk allocation are other constraints. Greenfield ports are highly capital-intensive, with long gestation and heavy spending on marine works and new connectivity, so traffic risk and political risk make lenders cautious. Many projects struggle to reach financial closure without viability gap support, sovereign comfort or clearer sharing of revenue and demand risk between government and concessionaires.
Finally, governance and demand-side issues complicate matters. Overlaps in jurisdiction between central and state port authorities, in addition to dependence on parallel road and rail projects, result in coordination delays. Strategic and security considerations at sensitive locations, such as the Andaman & Nicobar Islands, further add layers of scrutiny and interministerial negotiation.
The way ahead
India’s greenfield port pipeline represents a strategic shift towards building high capacity, globally competitive gateways. These ports are expected to ease pressure on legacy facilities, strengthen export competitiveness, attract private and foreign terminal operators and support emerging industrial corridors. In addition, they are being planned with deeper draughts, advanced cargo handling systems, and seamless multimodal linkages to ensure faster turnaround times and greater operational reliability. In sum, the upcoming greenfield ports signal India’s intent to build a modern maritime ecosystem capable of supporting shipping infrastructure, enhancing coastal state economies and integrating more deeply with global shipping networks.
