India Poised to Become a Global Container Hub: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon Indian entrepreneurs to seize the opportunity to make the country a leading supplier of ‘Made in India’ containers to the global market, reducing the world’s over-reliance on a single nation for container needs.
Speaking at a rally in Bhavnagar, Gujarat, Modi highlighted the recent global container shortage and urged entrepreneurs from Alang’s renowned ship-breaking yard to utilise steel recovered from dismantled ships to manufacture containers. “The world is looking for a dependable container supplier, and India’s share in global trade is steadily increasing. This is a golden opportunity for Bhavnagar,” he said.
Traditionally, steel from Alang has been used in construction, but Modi emphasized its potential for container manufacturing — an initiative that would fuel the Atmanirbhar Bharat mission while generating significant local employment.
He further pointed out that Alang could also become a hub for vehicle scrapping under the Centre’s new vehicle scrappage policy, leveraging its expertise in ship dismantling.
For Saurashtra’s farmers, traders, and communities, Modi showcased the benefits of the RoRo ferry service between Ghogha (Bhavnagar) and Hazira (Surat), which has reduced travel distance from 400 km by road to under 100 km by sea — saving around 40 lakh litres of fuel annually and significantly boosting regional connectivity.
Highlighting Gujarat’s coastal development over the past two decades, Modi noted the establishment of three major LNG terminals, a robust coal terminal network, petrochemical hubs, and multiple power plants supplying electricity to several states.
With upcoming advancements in renewable energy, space technology, and the semiconductor industry in Dholera, Modi predicted that Ahmedabad, Dholera, and Bhavnagar will soon emerge as powerful drivers of India’s economic growth.
