Vadhvan Port Project Limited (VPPL), a joint venture between Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority (74%) and Maharashtra Maritime Board (26%), has extended the bid submission deadline for its ₹22,323.47 crore offshore protection bund package to September 23, 2026. The unexpected extension came just hours after the previous September 17 deadline expired, despite VPPL explicitly rejecting earlier time extension requests from prospective bidders. Prior to the deadline, initial qualification bids were submitted by DP World Ltd and a joint venture comprising Royal Boskalis B.V. and NMDC Dredging & Marine. The move aims to encourage wider industry participation for the largest individual construction package of the overall ₹76,220 crore greenfield port development. This project marks the first time in India that port dredging, reclamation, and offshore protection works are being executed on a Public-Private Partnership model via the Hybrid Annuity Mode (HAM), featuring a 45:55 financial structure over a 15-year concession period.