CBIC Opens Dabhol Port to More Trade: LNG, Naphtha, Power-Project Cargo and Shipbuilding Now Permitted

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has widened the range of customs-cleared cargo that can move through Dabhol Port in Maharashtra. Notification No. 81/2026-Customs (N.T.), dated 7 October 2026, substitutes the Dabhol entry (serial no. 8) in the long-standing Notification No. 62/1994-Customs (N.T.) — the master list of ports and places approved for loading and unloading under section 7(1)(a) of the Customs Act, 1962. In plain terms, Dabhol can now officially handle liquefied natural gas and naphtha, power-project equipment, and the import, export and repair of ships, barges and rigs.

What Happened

The revised entry for Dabhol permits the following customs operations:

• Power project (Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt. Ltd.): unloading of machinery and equipment for the project, and loading — for export — of machinery and equipment that had earlier been imported for the project.
• LNG and naphtha: unloading of liquefied natural gas and naphtha.
• Shipbuilding and repair (Square Port Shipyard Pvt. Ltd.): unloading of goods used for the manufacture and repair of ships, barges, similar vessels and rigs; import of such vessels and rigs for repair; and export of such vessels and rigs.

The power-project and LNG/naphtha permissions apply to the listed goods generally; the shipbuilding/repair permissions are tied to Square Port Shipyard Private Limited, and "manufacture" here covers shipbuilding as well as repair. The change takes effect from the date of the notification.

Why / Background

A port only becomes a legal gateway for a given cargo once it is notified under section 7 of the Customs Act. Notification 62/1994 is the consolidated schedule of those approved ports and places, and CBIC amends it as new terminals, projects and cargo needs come online. Dabhol, on the Ratnagiri coast, hosts the Ratnagiri Gas and Power LNG-and-power complex; aligning the customs entry with LNG, naphtha and project cargo removes the need for case-by-case permissions and supports the emerging shipbuilding/repair activity in the area. The underlying gazette reference reported for this amendment is S.O. 5481(E).

Who's Affected

• Importers and exporters moving LNG, naphtha or power-project machinery through Dabhol, who can now clear these goods there directly.
• Ratnagiri Gas and Power Pvt. Ltd., its EPC contractors and suppliers, for project equipment flows.
• Square Port Shipyard Pvt. Ltd. and owners/operators bringing vessels and rigs in for building or repair.
• Shipping lines, CHAs and freight forwarders planning calls, documentation and clearance at Dabhol.

Operational Detail

With Dabhol notified for these operations, bills of entry and shipping bills for the permitted cargo can name Dabhol as the port of import/export, and the usual customs processes apply there. For vessel/rig imports for repair and subsequent re-export, the relevant customs procedures for temporary import/repair and re-export should be followed and documented. Because the shipbuilding/repair permissions are entity-specific, parties should confirm that their activity falls within the scope of the substituted entry before routing cargo.

What Exporters, Importers and Forwarders Should Do Now

• Confirm Dabhol eligibility for your cargo against the substituted entry before booking — LNG, naphtha and project equipment are covered broadly; vessel/rig work is tied to the named shipyard.
• Update port and routing options in logistics planning where Dabhol is now a viable, nearer gateway for Ratnagiri-region projects.
• Brief your CHA to file documentation naming Dabhol as the port of clearance, and to apply the correct procedures for project imports and for vessel/rig import-for-repair and re-export.
• Check the official gazette text (S.O. 5481(E)) for the exact wording and any conditions before committing shipments.

The Bigger Picture

Port-notification amendments rarely make headlines, but they quietly determine where goods can legally enter and leave the country. Expanding Dabhol's remit fits a broader pattern of CBIC updating the notified-ports schedule to match energy infrastructure, project cargo and a growing domestic shipbuilding and ship-repair push. For traders and forwarders in western India, it adds flexibility and can shorten inland legs for the covered cargo.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Notification 62/1994-Customs (N.T.)? It is the consolidated list of ports and places approved under section 7(1)(a) of the Customs Act, 1962 for the loading and unloading of goods. Notification 81/2026 amends the Dabhol entry in that list.

What can now be handled at Dabhol? LNG and naphtha (unloading), Ratnagiri Gas and Power project machinery (unloading and re-export), and the import, export, building and repair of ships, barges, similar vessels and rigs tied to Square Port Shipyard.

Does this apply to any cargo at Dabhol? No. The entry is specific. LNG/naphtha and the power-project machinery are covered as listed; the shipbuilding/repair permissions are linked to the named shipyard.

When is it effective? From 7 October 2026, the date of the notification.

Where can I verify the exact scope? In the official CBIC gazette notification (reported as S.O. 5481(E)) and the amended Notification 62/1994-Customs (N.T.).

Conclusion

Notification 81/2026-Customs (N.T.) formally equips Dabhol to handle LNG, naphtha, power-project cargo and vessel building/repair. Traders and forwarders with cargo suited to Dabhol should confirm scope against the substituted entry, update routing plans and brief their CHAs to clear the covered goods there.

This summary is for general guidance only. Verify the exact entry, scope and conditions in the official CBIC notification amending Notification No. 62/1994-Customs (N.T.) at cbic.gov.in before acting.