Ahmedabad: The Dahej-Ghogha RoRo ferry in Gujarat remains docked with no takers, while the central government-run Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) struggles to hand back the Ghogha terminal to the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), which oversees the state’s non-major ports.
Launched in 2017, the RoRo service between Ghogha (Bhavnagar district) and Dahej (Bharuch district) was reportedly India’s first multi-city RoRo (roll-on/roll-off) project. The service had reduced travel time between Saurashtra and South Gujarat from nearly eight hours to around three-and-a-half hours. Initially developed by the GMB, the project was transferred to the DPA after multiple failed attempts to sustain operations.
The RoRo terminal at Dahej, constructed at an estimated cost of ₹150 crore, now stands non-operational due to persistent siltation, low passenger turnout, and high maintenance costs, officials said.
Also Read: State govt to buy 15 electric boats for Mumbai ferry services
DPA, an autonomous body under the ministry of ports, shipping & waterways, manages Deendayal Port (formerly Kandla Port), one of the 12 major ports of India, located in Gujarat’s Kutch district.
“We have communicated to GMB to consider taking back the Dahej terminal, although it was more like a one-way communication. There are issues of heavy siltation and we even took advice of experts including Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras but could not come up with a viable solution. The terminal is built and lying unutilised so we thought if GMB could use it for some other purpose. We have signed a supplementary agreement for the project, so we are now taking legal advice on the matter,” DPA chairman S. K. Singh.
Meanwhile, the DPA developed a new RoRo terminal at Hazira, where the Ghogha-Hazira service is now running successfully with regular commuter traffic, Singh added.
“We have looked into the DPA’s proposal and will present it before our board to arrive at a decision,” vice-chairman and CEO of GMB Rajkumar Beniwal.
Also read: RoRo services from Bhayandar-Vasai to start from February 20
The transfer of project assets at Ghogha and Dahej was formalised under a Right of Use (RoU) agreement signed on November 3, 2020, between DPA and GMB, an official said. The agreement also included a land transfer at Hazira, where DPA later built a permanent RoRo terminal. However, a lack of passenger demand led to the shutdown of services at Dahej despite several revival attempts.
Under the Centre’s Sagarmala initiative, GMB had initially proposed ferry services across the Gulf of Cambay to connect key coastal destinations and enhance maritime transport. The plan aimed to link Ghogha, Dahej, Hazira, Jamnagar, Okha, Jaffarabad, Pipavav, and Mundra — reducing travel distances and boosting regional trade, a Gujarat government official said.
The long-term vision included extending ferry services beyond Mumbai to link Gujarat with South India’s coastal hubs, the official added. However, challenges related to tidal conditions, navigability, and port infrastructure slowed implementation, and only a portion of the original plan has been realised.
With financial pressure mounting and no clear operational roadmap, DPA urged GMB to take back control of the Dahej assets and explore alternative uses to generate revenue.
Also read: 4 more Ro-Ro services from city likely in next 18 months
Following directives from the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, DPA awarded the contract for ferry operations at Dahej to M/s Angriya Sea Eagle Ltd. (ASL) on a nomination basis for a three-month period starting February 1, 2021. However, low passenger turnout led to further operational difficulties. Repeated efforts by DPA to revive the service — including floating tenders on January 5, 2021 — failed to attract any bidders, despite the bidding process being extended five times, the official said.
>“The most significant challenge has been continuous siltation, which has made ferry operations difficult. Heavy sea currents and accumulated silt make maintenance of the floating pontoon particularly challenging. Despite these hurdles, DPA continues to incur an annual expenditure of nearly ₹4.5 crore for upkeep of onshore and offshore infrastructure at Dahej, without any operational ferry service in return,” an official said.
To explore viable solutions, DPA commissioned IIT-Madras to conduct a study on the financial feasibility of the Dahej RoRo/Pax facility. However, the modifications suggested in the report were deemed beyond DPA’s scope, further complicating prospects for revival. With no bidders willing to take over operations and no feasible financial model in place, the facility remains idle, officials said.