Welspun One leases 65,000 sq ft at JNPA SEZ to Balmer Lawrie

Welspun One has signed a Letter of Intent with Balmer Lawrie for around 65,000 sq. ft. of Grade A+ warehousing space at WTC Nhava Sheva within the JNPA SEZ, marking the first partnership between the warehousing platform and a Government of India Central Public Sector Enterprise (PSE). The five-year sub-lease will see Balmer Lawrie operate from the first floor of the development, with the project expected to become operational by early 2027.

The transaction is Welspun One’s latest leasing announcement at WTC Nhava Sheva and its first collaboration with a Government of India Central Public Sector Enterprise. Balmer Lawrie, a Miniratna-I PSE under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, will use the facility to expand its SEZ warehousing and port-linked logistics operations within the JNPA ecosystem.

Balmer Lawrie already operates a Container Freight Station at JNPA. The new facility at WTC Nhava Sheva will extend its presence into SEZ warehousing and value-added logistics services. The development offers occupiers GST exemption, customs duty deferment and faster clearance within an operator-neutral environment.

The sub-lease is also significant as it involves first-floor warehousing space, which the company described as a first-of-its-kind concept in India. WTC Nhava Sheva has been designed as a multi-level warehousing development where all floors, from ground to second, are operationally equivalent for SEZ warehousing. The facility includes wide unidirectional ramps that allow 40-foot container trailers to directly access upper-floor docking bays, a concept already used in countries such as Singapore, Japan and China.

Neeraj Balani, Chief Customer Officer, Welspun One, said the partnership with a Miniratna-I Public Sector Enterprise validates the infrastructure vision behind WTC Nhava Sheva. He added that the project has been designed for partners requiring high-quality infrastructure, regulatory efficiency and proximity to India’s key port-led trade gateway.

Rajesh Raghavan, Head of Logistics Infrastructure at Balmer Lawrie, said the company has been investing steadily in logistics infrastructure to meet changing customer requirements in international trade. He said the proposed facility at WTC Nhava Sheva would strengthen the company’s capabilities in CFS operations, freight forwarding and trade facilitation, while also supporting SEZ warehousing and value-added logistics services.

WTC Nhava Sheva is Welspun One’s flagship port-led logistics and industrial development within the JNPA SEZ. Spread across 55 acres, the project has a development potential of around 4.45 million sq. ft. and an investment outlay of ₹2,700 crore. Located within 5 km of JNPA port terminals, the development will feature multi-level warehousing infrastructure with capacity for more than 400,000 pallet positions and annual throughput capability of 50,000 TEUs.