India is moving ahead with plans to build a 14.2 million TEU transshipment hub on Great Nicobar Island to redirect cargo flows from foreign ports, reported Saint Petersburg's PortNews.

The project centers on a deepwater terminal at Galathea Bay, located about 40 nautical miles from the East-West shipping route, aimed at attracting volumes currently handled by Colombo, Singapore, and Klang.

Designed with natural depths exceeding 20 meters, the port is part of a wider scheme that includes a greenfield international airport for 4,000 peak-hour passengers, a 450 MVA gas-solar power system, and a township covering 16,610 hectares. Implementation will occur in three phases from 2025 to 2047 across 166.10 sq. km.

Environmental clearance has been secured with 42 conditions covering emissions, marine ecology, waste management, and disaster response. Development will divert 1.82 percent of forest cover in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Authorities stated that no relocation is planned for the Shompen and Nicobarese communities. Adjustments to tribal reserve boundaries are expected to result in a net increase of 3.912 sq. km.

The airport is anticipated to open with a capacity of at least one million passengers annually, scaling up to around 10 million. The hybrid power system is designed to ensure an uninterrupted supply for port and urban infrastructure.

The project includes a risk framework addressing seismic exposure, cyclones, and industrial hazards, integrating disaster preparedness into its design.