Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday laid the foundation stone for four major infrastructure projects of the Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) at Sagarmala Conventions, aimed at strengthening safety, operational efficiency, administration and residential facilities at the port.
The four projects include the upgradation of firefighting facilities at the LPG berth at a cost of ₹52.23 crore to comply with Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) norms, modernisation of the ORS dry dock with an investment of ₹35.87 crore to boost ship repair capabilities and revenue generation, construction of a G+9 Dr B.R. Ambedkar Administrative Bhavan following green building standards at a cost of ₹97.70 crore, and development of residential apartments at Harbour Park costing ₹44.20 crore to support land monetisation and improve living amenities for port employees.
Appreciating the people of Visakhapatnam for their continued support to the port, Mr. Sonowal expressed confidence that Visakhapatnam Port would cross 100 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo throughput in the coming years. He said the port is among the best-performing ports in India and ranks within the top 100 ports globally. Emphasising coordinated development, the Union Minister said the State and Central governments are working closely to support the Prime Minister’s vision for the maritime sector.
Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Vijay Kumar said the sector’s roadmap is guided by the Maritime India Vision and Amrit Kaal Vision documents. He stressed the importance of increasing cargo volumes while ensuring safety, noting that close coordination with stakeholders, including PPP and BOT operators, is key to achieving these goals.
Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat expressed confidence that the projects would be completed within the stipulated timelines and implemented at the earliest for the benefit of port employees, port users and the city. Visakhapatnam North MLA P. Vishnu Kumar Raju lauded the port management for addressing issues efficiently and appreciated its CSR initiatives benefiting the needy. Visakhapatnam South MLA C.H. Vamsi Krishna Srinivas highlighted the rapid industrial growth in and around the city, stating that Visakhapatnam is poised to emerge as a major urban and industrial hub.
VPA Chairperson M. Angamuthu said the port authority is undertaking significant initiatives to improve working and living conditions for its officers and employees through modern administrative and residential infrastructure.
Later, the Union Minister presented course completion certificates and placement orders to students of the Centre of Excellence in Maritime Studies (CEMS), trained under the sponsorship of Visakhapatnam Port Authority. The event was attended by heads of departments, officers and employees of the port, union leaders, and students from CEMS and the Indian Maritime University (IMU).
