New Delhi: The shipping ministry has accorded in-principle approval to two strategic maritime infrastructure projects in Gujarat, including a 1,570-crore ship repair facility at Vadinar under the Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS), an official statement said on Wednesday.
The ministry has given in-principle nod to a greenfield shipbuilding cluster in Porbandar district and the ship repair facility at Vadinar in Gulf of Kutch.
Spread across nearly 2,000 acres, the shipbuilding cluster will comprise modern shipyards, ancillary manufacturing units, common infrastructure and capability development centres.
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The project is designed to build large commercial vessels with an annual production capacity of 1.2 to 1.5 million gross tonnage (GT), significantly expanding India's domestic shipbuilding capacity while positioning Gujarat as a major hub for heavy-tonnage vessel construction, it added.
The shipbuilding cluster will be developed through the National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park-Gujarat (NSHIP-Gujarat), a special purpose vehicle jointly promoted by Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) and the Gujarat Maritime Board, it added.
The Rs 1,570-crore ship repair facility at Vadinar will be jointly developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) and Deendayal Port Authority (DPA).
The project had received approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on May 5, 2026. After the in-principle nod, the project will get 25 per cent financial assistance on eligible capital infrastructure. The expansion project will include a 650-metre jetty, two large floating dry docks, workshops and supporting marine infrastructure.
Once operational, it will enable the domestic repair of vessels measuring up to 300 metres in length, substantially expanding India's ship repair capacity while reducing dependence on overseas repair yards for large commercial vessels.
