Nhava Sheva Port (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: Customs officials recently seized a dual-use consignment on a Karachi-bound ship at Nhava Sheva port, suspecting it could be used for Pakistan's nuclear programs.

Nhava Sheva Port or Jawaharlal Nehru Port (JNPT)

• Location: The Port of Nhava Sheva is situated to the east of the Port of Mumbai, approximately six nautical miles away across Thane Creek on the Arabian Sea.
• Administrative Control: Commonly referred to as the Jawaharlal Nehru Port, it is administered by the Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust.
• Busiest Port Status: Regarded as the busiest port in India, handling nearly half of the country’s imports and exports.
• Entry Channel: The Port of Nhava Sheva and the Port of Mumbai share a common entry channel spanning about 21 kilometers (33.9 miles) with a depth ranging from 10.1 to 11 meters (33 to 36 feet).
• Importance:

oIt is the second largest container port in India after Mundra Port.

oIt is also the terminal of the Western Dedicated Freight Corridor.

Major Ports of India:

• India has 13 major ports - Deendayal (Kandla), Mumbai, Mormugao, New Mangalore, Cochin, Chennai, Ennore (Kamarajar), Tuticorin (V O Chidambaranar), Visakhapatnam, Paradip and Kolkata (including Haldia) and Jawaharlal Nehru Port.