NEW DELHI, Sept. 18 -- The Centre is considering almost doubling the 30-year concession period for private and common-user port terminals to bring such infrastructure closer to the longer-tenure models adopted for airports and mining, two people aware of the discussions said.

The plan is to attract more patient private capital into infrastructure requiring large upfront investments and long gestation periods. The ports, shipping and waterways ministry is examining whether the existing 30-year concession framework for non-captive terminals should be extended, one person said.

The move to make the concessions attractive could benefit global and Indian operators of container, dry bulk and liquid terminals at Indian ports, especially those ...