Mega Greenfield Shipbuilding Cluster to Come Up at Porbandar; ₹27,000 Crore Investment Expected

Gandhinagar: In an important step towards making Gujarat a global shipbuilding hub, the Government of India has given in-principle approval to set up a mega greenfield shipbuilding cluster in Kuchdi village of Porbandar district. The project has been presented as the most ambitious initiative under the Gujarat Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Policy-2026, launched by the Gujarat government on Monday.

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said the mega shipbuilding cluster to be developed at Kuchdi will play an important role in establishing Gujarat as the country’s leading shipbuilding and repair hub. The project is expected to attract investments of over ₹27,000 crore, of which about ₹23,700 crore will come from private investment, while around ₹3,300 crore will be spent on general marine and land-based infrastructure.

Spread over an area of about 2,000 acres, the greenfield cluster will have modern shipyards, ancillary manufacturing units, common infrastructure, logistics facilities, testing centres, research and development (R&D) centres, and skill development institutes. The project aims to build large merchant ships with a capacity of 1.2 to 1.5 million gross tonnage (GT) per year.

The cluster will be implemented by a special purpose vehicle (SPV) called the National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park-Gujarat (NSHIP-Gujarat). The SPV will work in collaboration with the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Gujarat Maritime Board. The Gujarat Maritime Board is currently preparing a detailed project report (DPR) for the project.

According to the government, two to three world-class shipyards and several ancillary industries will be developed under the project. It will also receive financial assistance under the Central government’s Shipbuilding Development Scheme (SbDS).

The general infrastructure to be developed under the project will include breakwaters, floating cranes, heavy-lift vessels, dredging facilities, harbour basins, navigation channels, roads, electricity, water supply, and other shared-use facilities.

The government believes the cluster will give a new impetus to Gujarat’s shipbuilding industry, create a large number of jobs, strengthen local manufacturing and supply chains, and help India gain a competitive position in the global shipbuilding sector. DeshGujarat