Odisha’s Paradip Port expects over ₹1 lakh crore in investment in the coming days, port chairman P.L. Haranadh said on Wednesday.
A shipbuilding hub is also being developed at the Mahanadi Mouth in Kendrapara district, while a cruise terminal is planned for Puri, Haranadh said.
The Paradip Port chairman was participating in an event in Bhubaneswar on the theme “Navigating the shift of Indian Maritime sector: From Volume to Vision”. The event is part of nationwide outreach programmes ahead of India Maritime Week (IMW) 2025.
Haranadh said: “Indian Maritime Week 2025 is going to be held in Mumbai from October 27-31. The 2025 edition will spotlight India’s journey towards maritime excellence. The ministry of ports, shipping and waterways plans MoUs exceeding ₹10 lakh crore, of which Paradip Port expects more than ₹1 lakh crore, nearly one-tenth of the target itself.”
He also highlighted recent MoUs signed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s event in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, including a ₹21,500 crore project for the Bahuda Major Port in Ganjam, a ₹24,700 crore shipbuilding hub at Mahanadi Mouth, and a cruise terminal at Puri.
“Lakhs of devotees coming to Puri will benefit from the proposed cruise terminal,” Haranadh said.
Maritime Week 2025 will be a five-day global forum, bringing together over 100 maritime nations, 200 international speakers, 500 exhibitors, and around 1 lakh delegates. Discussions will cover port modernisation, capacity augmentation, green shipping and climate-conscious sailing, shipbuilding, insurance and finance, and maritime security.
Odisha industry minister Sampad Chandra Swain said: “Under our Port Policy, 2022, we are expanding capacity and attracting private investment for new non-major ports and greenfield projects at Astaranga and Subarnarekha, while strengthening established ports such as Paradip, Dhamra and Gopalpur. These ports together handled over 230 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo this year, with Paradip Port Authority crossing a record 150.41 MMT, the highest among major Indian ports.”
“Odisha’s port-led development model is now a global benchmark. At Paradip, five major industrial projects have been launched with investments exceeding ₹19,000 crore...”
Swain added: “Plans for shipbuilding and repair hubs will serve domestic and international fleets. The Maritime Board will provide single-window clearances to accelerate investment. Recently, a ₹21,500 crore initiative at Bahuda was announced — India’s newest major port at Ganjam — which, along with transformative projects at Paradip, promises to catalyse the state’s infrastructure backbone, unlock cross-border trade, and spur new industrial corridors.”
Additional chief secretary, industries department, Hemant Sharma, said Odisha’s economy, growing at 8–9 per cent and outpacing the national average, must be anchored in a robust global value chain to sustain momentum. “Investors have already lined up for shipbuilding and ship repair facilities, following the signing of recent MoUs with Paradip Port Authority,” Sharma said.
Principal secretary, housing & urban development and commerce & transport, Usha Padhee, outlined the state’s roadmap to expand port capacity from the current 80 MTPA to 500 MTPA by 2047 through modernisation, new infrastructure and the proposed Odisha Maritime Board.
Dr Bibhu Prasad Tarai, Lok Sabha member, said Odisha is set to emerge as a key maritime hub.
