GMB, APM Terminals Pipavav ink ₹17,000 crore MoU to boost Gujarat ports

The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) and private entity Gujarat Pipavav Port Ltd on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for an investment of Rs 17,000 crore here with the aim to strengthen the maritime sector of Gujarat.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and A P Moller-Maersk Board Chairman Robert Maersk Uggla were present on the occasion.

Pipavav Port or APM Terminals Pipavav, partly owned by A P Moller-Maersk, is a major private port located near Rajula in Amreli district of Gujarat, while the GMB is a government agency that manages and regulates ports in the state.

"The objective of this MoU is to further strengthen the maritime sector of Gujarat through the capacity expansion of Pipavav Port," stated an official release.

 

This project will create about 25,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities, giving new impetus to the local economy and improving the standard of living in rural areas, it said.

"It will increase the existing container, bulk, liquid and Ro-Ro cargo carrying capacity of Pipavav Port, which will make the port's operations more effective and faster," stated the release.

Under this investment, new liquid cargo berths, mechanical bulk handling facilities, modern container terminals, digital operation systems and environment-friendly infrastructure will be developed, it said.

With this expansion, Pipavav Port will establish a new identity in the maritime sector of Gujarat. It will help increase the capacity of non-major ports of Gujarat to 3,000 MMTPA by 2047 in line with the "Maritime Amritkal Vision 2047" given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it said.

Speaking on the occasion, CM Patel said the expansion of Pipavav Port will further strengthen Gujarat's identity as the 'Maritime Gateway' of India.

By strengthening the port network, the state's industries, exporters and logistics sector will be empowered, he said on the occasion.

Both the time and cost of exports and imports will be reduced. Industries, warehousing and supply chain facilities will develop in the areas around the port and there will also be a significant increase in the economic activities of the state, he said.