Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled a development pipeline of 63 projects worth Rs 5,028.17 crore during the 154th Foundation Day celebrations of the Mumbai Port Authority (MPA), held under the theme “Together We Can”. The projects span inaugurated works, foundation stone laying ceremonies, and future announcements covering port modernisation, waterfront development, maritime tourism, and energy infrastructure. Together, they mark one of the most significant single-day investment commitments for the 154-year-old port, aligning with the government’s broader vision of transforming India into a global maritime hub under Viksit Bharat 2047.
Mumbai Port Authority: A 154-Year Maritime Legacy
The Mumbai Port Authority, originally established as the Bombay Port Trust in 1873 under the Bombay Port Trust Act, is the second oldest major port in India after Kolkata. It was renamed the Mumbai Port Trust after the city was renamed in 1995, and subsequently became the Mumbai Port Authority in November 2021 after the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021 came into force, replacing the century-old Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. Headquartered in Mumbai and operating under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the port has been a cornerstone of India’s maritime trade for over a century and a half.
Spanning a harbour area of about 400 square kilometres, the port today handles roughly 68 million tonnes of cargo annually (2024-25), primarily bulk commodities such as crude oil, petroleum products, chemicals, and LPG. It accounts for approximately 19% of India’s POL (petroleum, oil, and lubricants) traffic handled by major ports. While most container traffic has shifted to the Jawaharlal Nehru Port across the harbour at Nhava Sheva, Mumbai Port remains strategically vital for the country’s energy security and bulk cargo movement. The port is currently chaired by Dr. M. Angamuthu, an IAS officer who previously replicated the O&M asset monetisation model at the Visakhapatnam Port Authority.
The Rs 5,028 Crore Development Pipeline
The 63 projects announced during the Foundation Day celebrations were spread across three distinct stages of implementation, reflecting a phased and strategic approach to port development.
Project-Wise Breakdown
| Category | Number of Projects | Total Value |
|---|---|---|
| Inaugurated projects | 7 | Rs 132.29 crore |
| Foundation stone laid | 34 | Rs 1,354.59 crore |
| Newly announced projects | 22 | Rs 3,541.29 crore |
| Total | 63 | Rs 5,028.17 crore |
The seven inaugurated projects worth Rs 132.29 crore are already completed and operational. The 34 foundation stone laying projects, valued at Rs 1,354.59 crore, mark the beginning of construction across multiple fronts including berth modernisation, cargo storage, crude oil berth expansion, solar rooftops, surveillance systems, and digitalisation initiatives. The 22 newly announced projects, worth Rs 3,541.29 crore, the largest chunk at about 70% of the total pipeline, are currently in planning, design, or tendering stages and represent the port’s long-term development roadmap.
Among the most notable individual projects is a sixth crude oil berth at Jawahar Dweep, estimated at Rs 800 crore, which will significantly expand the port’s capacity to handle crude oil and petroleum tankers. Other projects include an integrated operations tower, new road and rail connectivity lines, and waterfront development works aimed at transforming underutilised port land into productive economic assets.
Indira Dock: A New Operational Model
One of the most strategically significant outcomes of the Foundation Day event was the exchange of the Indira Dock Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Agreement. Under this agreement, the Mumbai Port Authority handed over the operations and maintenance of 21 berths at Indira Dock to two private players J M Baxi Ports & Logistics and M Dinshaw & Co for an initial period of 10 years, extendable by another five years.
This marks the largest O&M-based asset monetisation initiative undertaken by a state-owned major port in India. The model is inspired by the Visakhapatnam Port Authority, where a similar approach was successfully implemented. Under this arrangement, the port authority retains ownership of the assets while private operators handle stevedoring, loading, unloading, storage, and transportation activities. The operators will pay a royalty per ton of cargo handled and must meet minimum guaranteed throughput targets.
The move addresses a critical challenge at Indira Dock, which has seen a decline in cargo volumes over recent years due to ageing infrastructure, reduced labour availability, and competition from neighbouring ports. Over the next decade, the port expects to earn Rs 987 crore in revenue from the two operators, making this a significant step toward financial sustainability. The privatisation of berth operations also frees up the port authority to focus on its broader landlord port functions, including infrastructure ownership, regulatory oversight, and waterfront development in line with the landlord port model envisioned under the Major Port Authorities Act, 2021.
Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina: India’s First Global Marina
The second major agreement exchanged during the event was for the Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina, a flagship waterfront tourism project at Princes’ Dock in South Mumbai. The Mumbai Port Authority signed a contract with Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to construct the marina, which was cleared by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in December 2025.
The project is being developed through a hybrid EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) and PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model. The port authority will invest Rs 470 crore to develop the core marina infrastructure on an EPC basis, while a private operator will invest another Rs 417 crore to develop onshore facilities, bringing the total project cost to approximately Rs 887 crore. Planned across 4.2 hectares of land and 12 hectares of water area, the marina will accommodate yachts and leisure vessels, positioning Mumbai as a premier destination for luxury maritime tourism.
The Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina is part of a larger Rs 22,672 crore transformation plan for Mumbai’s Eastern Waterfront, announced in February 2026. This broader plan includes several other landmark projects such as the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Convention Centre at Princes’ Dock (estimated at Rs 5,500 crore under PPP), a RoPax terminal at M-Shed, the Bhaucha Dhakka Glass House and Passenger Terminal, and a modern fish jetty at Mallet Bunder supported by the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. Together, these projects aim to redefine Mumbai’s eastern waterfront, converting restricted port land into vibrant public and commercial spaces.
Aligned with India’s Maritime Vision
The development push at Mumbai Port fits into a much larger national strategy for port-led economic growth. The Sagarmala Programme, launched in March 2015 and currently being upgraded to Sagarmala 2.0, is the flagship initiative of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways aimed at promoting port-led development across India’s 11,099 km coastline. Under the programme, 845 projects worth Rs 6.06 lakh crore are under implementation, with 315 projects worth Rs 1.57 lakh crore already completed.
India’s major ports handled a record 915 million tonnes of cargo in FY 2025-26, reflecting a year-on-year growth of over 7%. The government’s Maritime India Vision (MIV) 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision (MAKV) 2047 set ambitious targets, including increasing port capacity to over 3,300 MMTPA, raising the share of PPP-operated cargo to more than 85%, and placing India among the top five shipbuilding nations. The vessel turnaround time at major ports has already improved from about 96 hours to under 26 hours, a metric that Sonowal highlighted during his address.
Speaking at the event, Sonowal emphasised that Mumbai Port occupies a special place in India’s maritime journey and is creating new opportunities for investment, tourism, logistics, and energy security. He noted that institutions like the Mumbai Port Authority have an important responsibility in steering the country toward the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, under which India aims to become a developed nation by the centenary of its independence. The minister also referred to ongoing projects such as the international cruise terminal, ferry jetty developments, Jawahar Dweep reclamation, and energy infrastructure initiatives that are reshaping the port’s role in the national economy.
Key Takeaways
- Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled 63 projects worth Rs 5,028.17 crore at the 154th Foundation Day of the Mumbai Port Authority, held under the theme “Together We Can”.
- The projects include 7 inaugurated (Rs 132.29 crore), 34 foundation stone laying (Rs 1,354.59 crore), and 22 newly announced (Rs 3,541.29 crore) initiatives.
- The Indira Dock O&M Agreement with J M Baxi and M Dinshaw & Co covers 21 berths for 10 years, expected to generate Rs 987 crore in revenue.
- The Viksit Bharat Mumbai Marina at Princes’ Dock, being built by L&T, is India’s first global-standard marina with a total project cost of Rs 887 crore.
- The Mumbai Port Authority was originally established as the Bombay Port Trust in 1873 and operates under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
- The development pipeline aligns with the Sagarmala Programme, Maritime India Vision 2030, and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision for port-led economic growth.
