Government Approves Maritime Expansion Plans with ₹1,570 Crore Ship Repair Project in Gujarat.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways 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 also given the go-ahead in principle for a greenfield shipbuilding cluster in Porbandar district and the ship repair facility at Vadinar in the Gulf of Kutch.

Spread across nearly 2,000 acres, the proposed shipbuilding cluster will include modern shipyards, ancillary manufacturing units, common infrastructure facilities and capability development centres. The project is expected to create an annual shipbuilding capacity of 1.2 million to 1.5 million gross tonnes (GT), strengthening India’s domestic shipbuilding ecosystem and establishing Gujarat as a hub for large commercial vessel construction.

The shipbuilding cluster will be developed through the National Shipbuilding and Heavy Industries Park-Gujarat (NSHIP-Gujarat), a special purpose vehicle jointly promoted by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways and the Gujarat Maritime Board.

The ₹1,570 crore Vadinar ship repair facility will be jointly developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL) and Deendayal Port Authority (DPA). The project received approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on May 5, 2026.

Following the in-principle approval, the project will be eligible for 25% financial assistance on eligible capital infrastructure. The facility will include a 650-metre jetty, two large floating dry docks, workshops and supporting marine infrastructure.

Once operational, the Vadinar facility will be capable of repairing vessels up to 300 metres in length, expanding India’s ship repair capacity and reducing dependence on overseas repair yards for large commercial vessels.