India's KMEW Secures INR 30.3 Billion Three-Year Maintenance Dredging Contract for New Mangalore Port

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 30, India's Knowledge Marine & Engineering Works (KMEW) received a Letter of Acceptance from the New Mangalore Port Authority (NMPA) for a maintenance dredging contract covering the port's fiscal years 2026–27, 2027–28, and 2028–29. The contract, valued at INR 30.317 billion (including tax), is the largest dredging order in KMEW's history. KMEW was the lowest bidder, quoting approximately 10.16% below its competitor. The average annual contract base value is approximately INR 10.107 billion (including tax). First-year operations are scheduled to commence on November 15, 2026, with dredging work to be completed within 150 days each year.

The dredging scope covers the full port water area from the outer channel to the berth frontage. The three-year total volume is approximately 15.9 million cubic meters, averaging approximately 5.3 million cubic meters per year. The work areas are divided by zone with corresponding design depths: the outer approach channel, 7.5 km long and divided into three sections, has a design depth of 15.40 m below chart datum; the lagoon, the new oil terminal arm, and Berth No. 15 frontage have a design depth of 15.10 m below chart datum; the K.I.O. berth frontage is 14.00 m; the extended lagoon area is 14.00 m; and the old jetty arm is to be dredged to the depth specified by the Engineer. The pump house areas are listed separately: Pump Houses No. 1 and No. 2 have a design depth of 6.00 m, and Pump House No. 3 has a design depth of 10.00 m. In addition to the main dredging volume, the contract separately lists 180,000 cubic meters of dredging at the wharf deck and 18,000 cubic meters in the pump house areas, totaling approximately 198,000 cubic meters, which is not included in the 15.9 million cubic meter main works quantity.

The dredged material and disposal conditions have been specified in the tender documents. The material to be excavated consists of fine silty sand, sand, and hard/stiff clay, with an average bulk density of 1.40 tonnes per cubic meter. The one-way distance from Zone 3 to the disposal area is 6.00 nautical miles, and the water depth at the disposal area is approximately 20 m below chart datum. There are small areas of cemented strata in the northern section of Zone 3 and along the berths, and the dredger equipment must have the corresponding capability to handle them. The contractor must independently equip multi-beam survey equipment to complete pre-construction, post-construction, and progress surveys; the dredging tolerance is +300 mm in the vertical direction and +2,000 mm in the horizontal direction.

This dredging directly affects the water depth conditions for vessel entry and exit. New Mangalore Port handled 50.04 million tonnes of cargo in FY2025–26, its highest annual record. The channel and berth depths maintained by maintenance dredging determine the draft restrictions, loading decisions, and voyage schedule reliability of calling vessels. The reason the dredging scope extends from the outer channel to the lagoon, turning basin, and berth frontage is that vessels not only need an entry channel but also need to complete turning, berthing, and maneuvering within the port. Port throughput and New Mangalore Port's dredging volume are measured on different bases, but together they constitute the fundamental conditions for port operations.

This is the first time KMEW has undertaken maintenance dredging across the entire port area. Previously, the company was responsible only for depth maintenance in parts of the port. The three-year arrangement gives KMEW multi-year revenue visibility while extending its business from smaller-scale dredging to the large maintenance dredging segment. KMEW plans to deploy a trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) and to configure specialized equipment for restricted areas such as the wharf deck and pump house areas.