The Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) has short-listed Boskalis and Van Oord BV (both of the Netherlands), Jan De Nul of Belgium and Dredging International for the $8-million project for dredging the entrance channel of the harbour.

The work will be executed in 2 phases.

The channel will be dredged up to a depth of 14 metres. The depth will be further increased to 15 metres in the second phase. After completion of the first phase, the channel will be able to accommodate vessels having a capacity 6,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).