DP World to build new mega container terminal in India

Dubai’s DP World has been awarded a concession to build and operate a mega-container terminal at Deendayal port in Gujarat, India, state-owned WAM news agency reported.

The terminal will have a 1,100-metre berth and a capacity of 2.19 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), capable of handling vessels carrying more than 18,000 TEUs.

The cost and construction timelines were not disclosed.

The terminal will be built through a public-private partnership (PPP) under a build-operate-transfer (BOT) contract awarded by the Deendayal Port Authority.

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO of DP World, said: “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.”

The new terminal will be built over approximately 63 hectares and will be connected to a network of roads, highways, railways and dedicated freight corridors.

DP World already operates five marine terminals in India – two in Mumbai, one each in Mundra, Cochin and Chennai – with a combined capacity of approximately six million TEUs.

With the addition of Tuna Tekra container terminal, DP World will have a capacity of 8.19 million TEUs and seven multimodal inland terminals connected to its rail network, cold storage facilities and container freight stations.

The global ports operator is also developing three economic zones in Mumbai, Cochin and Chennai, the statement noted.