Three Gujarat port operators seek extensions as concession agreements approach expiration, but no government decisions have been made yet.
The concession agreements for four major ports in Gujarat—Pipavav, Mundra, Hazira, and Dahej—are set to expire within the next decade, prompting three port operators to seek extensions. Despite these requests, no official announcements have been made by the government regarding the extensions.
APM Terminals Pipavav, which manages the Pipavav port, has applied for an extension twice, in 2011 and 2021, as its agreement is due to expire on September 29, 2028. Similarly, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) requested an extension for Mundra port in 2015 and 2021, with its current agreement ending on February 16, 2031. Petronet LNG Ltd, backed by key promoters including Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd, GAIL (India) Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd, and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, has also applied for an extension for Dahej port, with its agreement expiring in December 2035.
The Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) noted that discussions have been ongoing for several years regarding future policies, especially for agreements set to expire within the next decade. Under the Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) policy of 1997, the GMB entered into these concession agreements with the mentioned ports for an initial 30-year period, with some agreements allowing for extensions. Coastal states like Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh have concession agreements ranging from 30 to 99 years.
The statement from the Gujarat government follows allegations by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who claimed that Adani Group, which controls Mundra, Hazira, and Dahej ports, had sought an extension of their concession period by another 45 years ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Ramesh alleged that the proposal had received the necessary clearances. The fourth port, Hazira, managed by Adani Hazira Port—a subsidiary of APSEZ—has its concession agreement expiring in April 2035.
