Visakhapatnam Port: VPA Undertakes Rs 1,563 Crore Worth Major Development Projects To Enhance International Competitiveness

The Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) in Andhra Pradesh has initiated nine key development projects valued at approximately Rs 1,563.16 crores, officials announced in a press release.

The Port of Visakhapatnam is one of the 12 major ports of India. It is located on the east coast, midway between Kolkata and Chennai.

Nine key development projects include the building of the EQ-1A berth in the inner harbour to handle thermal/steam coal with a five MTPA (million tons per annum). capacity, costing approximately Rs 366.40 crore.

A new WQ-7 and WQ-8 berth with the ability to handle 6.30 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) is set to be developed in the inner harbour at a cost of approximately Rs 288.47 crores.

In addition, the existing WQ-6 will be revamped on a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (DBFOT) basis to handle dry bulk cargo with an expected cost of Rs 250 crores, capable of accommodating 5.5 MTPA.

Enhancing the EQ-6 berth in the inner harbour to handle various cargoes with a 5 MTPA capacity is planned and will cost about Rs 250 crore.

About 12-acre VPA area to get covered sheds at Rs 150 crore for storage. A Rs 36 crores, 20-acre Truck Parking Terminal is being constructed to ease road congestion and shorten travel time for trucks.

Electrification of railway lines in the VPA area for a length of 38 km at a cost of Rs 21.30 crore to reduce pollution and effective handling of cargo, reports The Hindu.

Harbour Mobile Cranes installed at East and West Quay berths to improve discharge rate and increase handling capacity.

To implement the landlord model, three Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects worth Rs 655 crore were awarded, with two more in advanced stages.

The inner harbour began accommodating larger vessels on 31 December 2022, with the arrival of the Baby Cape vessel, measuring 260 m in length and 43 m in width.

Madhaiyaan Angamuthu, VPA chairman, credited the growth rate to all stakeholders' collective efforts and declared that the port will achieve a higher rank in the future. Angamuthu mentioned a 7 per cent growth in trade to 2023 from 69.03 MT in the previous year's corresponding period.

Visakhapatnam Port is the fourth largest port in India and has secured a fourth position in cargo handling among all Indian ports. In the fiscal year 2022-23, the port efficiently managed 73.73 million tonne of cargo.

These projects signify a substantial investment in enhancing the port's infrastructure and capabilities. With a focus on modernisation and expansion, the initiatives aim to further elevate the port's efficiency, capacity, and overall competitiveness.

With the current infrastructure and completion of the ongoing projects, the port will be recognised internationally.