Maritime Sector Conclave in Bhavnagar: PM Modi to Witness Stakeholders Unite for Developing New Greenfield Port at Bahuda, Odisha
Chennai:
Port Wings News Network:
In a Rs 70,000 crore investment push, Odisha State Government will partner Sagarmala Finance Corporation and the port authorities of Paradip and Visakhapatnam to develop a deep-sea greenfield port at Bahuda in Ganjam district and a port-led industrial zone spanning over 6,000 acres, according to a report on India’s largest-selling English-language daily The Times of India.
The report, quoting Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena in Odisha Government, says that the Rs 21,500 crore MoU for the Bahuda Port will be signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Transforming Maritime Sector Conclave in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, on 20 September 2025. To facilitate the process, senior Odisha state government officials will attend the MoU signing in Gujarat.
Prime Minister Modi is expected to lay the foundation stone during his visit to Ganjam on 27 September 2025. The rest of the investment is envisaged in other port-led industries along the sprawling salt pan land along the coast.
The port and industrial zone will utilize salt pan land near Gopalpur — about 5,400 acres in Odisha and 1,700 acres in Andhra Pradesh — historically used for salt production. The area will host logistics hubs, warehousing, and processing units.
According to Odisha Government’s Industries Secretary Hemant Sharma “The projects will significantly boost Odisha’s port-led industrial growth and lay a clear roadmap for a Viksit Odisha by 2036. The east coast is poised to become a major trade corridor.”
COMPOSITION OF INVESTMENT IN PROPOSED BAHUDA PORT
Official sources said Paradip Port Authority will lead the project with a 51% stake in the special purpose vehicle (SPV). Odisha Maritime Board will hold 26%, Sagarmala Finance Corporation 9%, and Visakhapatnam Port Authority 14%. The SPV will oversee infrastructure, facilities, and ancillary development.
With a proposed capacity of 150 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), Bahuda will rank among India’s major ports, aligned with the Maritime India Vision-2030 and PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan. A pre-techno economic feasibility study has confirmed Bahuda’s capability to handle dry bulk ships of 40,000 to 1,50,000 deadweight tons (DWT) and container vessels of up to 6,000 TEUs.
In his 2025-26 budget, Odisha’s Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had announced new ports at Bahuda and Inchuri (Balasore). “Now it’s being implemented as promised,” Jena said.
Bahuda, near Berhampur, will be Ganjam’s second port after Gopalpur, which currently handles 25 MTPA and is operated by Adani Ports and SEZ. As per its Vision Document, Odisha hopes to handle 33% of total cargo in India, up from the current 13%. Apart from the major port in Paradip, Odisha currently has two non-major ports at Dhamra and Gopalpur, both owned by Adani Group.
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