Karnataka shifts focus from traditional ports to integrated maritime development, invites investors for PPP projects

The Karnataka Maritime Board is moving toward a public-private partnership (PPP) model to modernise the state’s coastal infrastructure, aiming to move beyond simple port capacity expansion toward creating a comprehensive network that includes advanced logistics, specialised shipbuilding facilities and digital connectivity.

With the state currently managing one major port, New Mangalore Port, and thirteen minor ports, the focus is on utilising private investment to drive efficiency and lower logistics costs for regional businesses. The maritime cluster anchored by New Mangalore Port serves as Karnataka’s gateway to the Arabian Sea and a central driver of port-led development along the western coast.

Complementing this maritime growth through ports, Karnataka is also advancing initiatives in river tourism and urban water transport, particularly along the Gurupura and Nethravati rivers, aimed at creating interconnected tourism routes and enhancing urban water mobility, further strengthening the state’s integrated approach to coastal and inland waterway development.

The push builds on the Karnataka Maritime Development Policy, which has notified 13 locations for maritime infrastructure development: Karwar, Belekeri, Keni, Tadri, Pavinakurve, Honnavar, Manki, Bhatkal, Kundapur, Hangarkatta, Malpe, Padubidri and Old Mangalore Port. The policy, which replaces the earlier Karnataka Minor Ports Development Policy of 2014, envisages a comprehensive, sustainable development approach spanning maritime-led tourism, greenfield port development, fisheries development, industrial development and near-shore wind farms for renewable energy, alongside ports and logistics.

For investors, the success of this infrastructure pivot will depend on several execution factors, with industrial users such as Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL) calling for deeper port access to handle larger ships and reduce costs. While the shift to a PPP model may lower the burden on state finances, the actual improvement in logistics efficiency will depend on the speed of implementation and the alignment of these projects with the specific needs of large industrial users.