DP World has been awarded a concession to build and operate a mega-container terminal at Deendayal port in Gujarat, India.

The terminal will have a 1,100-meter berth and will have a capacity of 2.19 million Twenty Equipment Units (TEUs), capable of handling vessels carrying more than 18,000 TEUs.

The terminal will be built through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) under a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract awarded by the Deendayal Port Authority.

The terminal will enhance logistics efficiency, reduce costs and cater to exports and imports from Northern, Western and Central India, complementing the Government of India’s initiatives for economic growth through multimodal logistics infrastructure development.

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. This is yet another step in our collective efforts with the National Investment and Infrastructure Fund to leverage our expertise in logistics infrastructure and local knowledge to further strengthen India’s supply chain.”

Rizwan Soomar, CEO and MD, India Subcontinent and sub-Saharan Africa, DP World, added, “We are honoured to partner with Deendayal Port Authority in developing this new mega-container terminal at Tuna-Tekra. We are confident that our deep expertise in developing critical infrastructure under Public-Private Partnerships will drive value for all stakeholders involved in this project. We remain enthusiastic to continue playing an important role in developing world leading assets to enable trade flow in key markets of India.”

The new terminal will be constructed and equipped with most modern facilities and equipment over an area of approximately 63 hectares. The terminal will be well-connected to the hinterland through the network of roads, highways, railways and the Dedicated Freight Corridors.

DP World already operates five marine terminals – two in Mumbai, one each in Mundra, Cochin and Chennai – with a combined capacity of approximately 6 million TEUs and with the addition of Tuna Tekra Container Terminal DP World will have a capacity of 8.19 million TEUs. This is along with seven multimodal inland terminals connected to DP World’s rail network, cold storage facilities and container freight stations. It is also developing three state-of-the-art economic zones across the country in Mumbai, Cochin and Chennai.