AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of the world's first CNG terminal at Bhavnagar on September 29, 2022. The Foresight Group had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) for the development of the CNG Terminal in Gujarat during the Vibrant Gujarat Global Business Summit 2019.
The port will be developed at a cost of ₹4024 crores and will have state-of-the-art infrastructure for the world's first CNG terminal along with a state-of-the-art world's fourth largest lock gate system. In addition to the CNG terminal, the port will also cater to the future needs and demands of Bhavnagar district for upcoming projects such as vehicle scrapping, container manufacturing, other mega projects, and the Dholera Special Investment Region in particular.
The port will also have an ultra-modern container terminal, multipurpose terminal and liquid terminal with direct doorstep connectivity to the existing roadway and railway network connecting to the largest industrial zones, dedicated freight corridor, and northern hinterland of the country.
The proposed port will also result in several economic benefits and cost savings with more cargo volume handling at lesser inland distance travel. The port will help generate direct and indirect employment for up to 1100 people and will also result in an increase in the ancillary port-related services opportunities.
Moreover, the CNG import terminal will provide an additional alternate source of energy to meet the growing demands of clean energy. The promoters have already signed an agreement for the supply of CNG and development of CNG export terminal with RAK Gas, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. The supply mechanism of CNG once operational will be revolutionary, enabling India to tap small-scale and stranded gas volumes which are yet to be utilized.
The construction of the port is expected to commence in the first half of 2023 and the port will be operational in 2026.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the Regional Science Centre in Bhavnagar which is spread in 20 acres and built at a cost of ₹100 crore. The Regional Science Centre (RSC) Bhavnagar is situated near Das Nala, Nari Gam, Ahmedabad highway, Bhavnagar.
The Prime Minister will also inaugurate the APPL Container (AAWADKRUPA PLASTOMECH PVT. LTD). After the announcement of Prime Minister’s ‘Make In India’, the Government of India had established a container's manufacturing hub at Bhavnagar.
The first prototype container was manufactured in 2019.