Gujarat Signs Rs.17,000 Crore MoU with APM Terminals to Expand Pipavav Port

Gandhinagar | Gujarat —  In a major step towards strengthening Gujarat’s position as the Maritime Gateway of India, Gujarat Pipavav Port Limited (APM Terminals) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) for a capital investment of ₹17,000 crore. The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel and A. P. Moller–Maersk Board Chairman Robert Maersk Ugla in Gandhinagar.

The agreement marks a significant stride in realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Samudra Se Samriddhi’, which focuses on achieving prosperity through maritime growth. The Pipavav Port expansion project is set to modernize Gujarat’s maritime infrastructure and enhance its global trade competitiveness.

Boost to Gujarat’s Maritime Economy

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said that the expansion of Pipavav Port will further strengthen Gujarat’s maritime identity and empower industries, exporters, and the logistics sector.

“This project will reduce both the time and cost of exports and imports, boost economic activities, and create employment in coastal and rural regions,” Patel said.

According to officials, the project is expected to generate around 25,000 direct and indirect jobs, providing a strong boost to the state’s local economy and improving livelihoods.

Advanced Infrastructure and Green Growth

The massive investment will be used to upgrade the port’s container, bulk, liquid, and Ro-Ro cargo handling capacity. The development plan includes new liquid cargo berths, mechanical bulk handling systems, modern container terminals, digital operation systems, and environmentally friendly infrastructure.

Once completed, the Pipavav Port expansion will play a key role in Gujarat’s target of achieving 3,000 MMTPA non-major port capacity by 2047, as outlined in the Maritime Amritkal Vision 2047.

Global Partnership for Sustainable Maritime Development

John Golden, Chief Executive of APM Terminals Asia and Middle East, emphasized that this investment goes beyond expansion.

“This project will open new opportunities for Gujarat, India, and global trade. Our goal is to make Pipavav a model of world-class efficiency and green growth, creating lasting prosperity for the local community and strengthening India’s maritime leadership,” he said.

High-Level Participation

The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Additional Chief Secretary M. K. Das, Advisor to the Chief Minister and GMB Chairman S. S. Rathore, Ports and Transport Principal Secretary R. C. Meena, GMB Executive Vice-Chairperson Remya Mohan, and senior maritime officials.

On behalf of Maersk and APM Terminals, Group Chief Representative Officer Rene Pedersen, Gujarat Pipavav Port Managing Director Girish Agarwal, and Public Policy Head Vivek Sharma also participated in the event.