New Mangalore Port to get boost with 8 maritime project

The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, on 15 October launched eight maritime projects aimed at boosting India’s port infrastructure, logistics efficiency, and sustainability.

The projects were launched during the curtain raiser for the golden jubilee celebrations of the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) at Bharat Mandapam.

For cargo operations, two covered storage sheds with a 14,000 MT capacity are being constructed, while the port’s KK gate entrance and exit will be modified to integrate RFID technology for faster cargo, customs, and CISF processing.

To streamline road transport, new PQC roads are being built at the MDL Yard, and two separate truck parking terminals are being expanded, a larger one at Baikampady (20,000 sq m., capacity for 180-200 trucks) and an expansion near the customs house (50-80 trucks).

Focusing on non-cargo port activities, a dedicated cruise gate is being built for international tourists.

Finally, to benefit port workers and the community, a 150 bed multi-speciality hospital is being established under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode with an investment of ₹107 crore (₹1.7 billion) , complemented by the launch of a dedicated medical app for beneficiaries.

Speaking at the event, the minister highlighted the journey of the New Mangalore Port, which was established as India’s ninth major port in 1975. Since then the port has transformed from handling a few thousand tonnes of cargo in its initial years to managing 46.01 million tonnes in the last financial year, with a total capacity of 104 million tonnes per annum.

The minister also provided an update on the Sagarmala program, which aims to leverage India’s 7,500 km coastline and 14,500 km of potentially navigable waterways.

The program, which aims to revolutionise the maritime sector by shifting transport to efficient coastal and waterway networks, involves 840 projects worth ₹5.8 lakh crore (₹5.8 trillion) set for implementation by 2035.

To date, 272 projects valued at ₹1.41 lakh crore (₹1.41 trillion) have been completed, with 217 projects worth ₹1.65 lakh crore (₹1.65 trillion) currently underway.

Looking ahead, the government is advancing the Sagarmala Program with Sagarmala 2.0, which will concentrate on core areas like shipbuilding, repair, recycling, and comprehensive port modernisation to sharpen India's global maritime competitiveness.

With a budgetary support of ₹40,000 crore (₹400 billion), this new phase aims to leverage massive investments of ₹12 lakh crore (₹12 trillion) over the next decade, accelerating infrastructure development, driving coastal economic growth, and creating millions of new jobs.