AP advised to improve capacity of existing ports, not build new ones

Speakers at the two-day East Coast Maritime Business Summit held here cautioned that is as important to build the supporting infrastructure for speedy cargo evacuation from ports as to build new ports or to add to the capacity of the existing ones, as otherwise ports will merely become stockyards. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had declared that it plans to build 14 new ports along the 900-km coastline of the State.

The summit was organised by Maritime Gateway magazine here on Friday. MT Krishna Babu, Chairman of the Visakhapatnam port, said, “Our port is adding to its capacity and it will rise to 125 mt from the present 80 mt after the completion of the ongoing projects. Another major port is planned at Dugarajapatnam in Nellore district by the Centre.

The State government wants to have 14 more new ports. The Chief Minister is laying stress on port-led growth. It is welcome and it augurs well for the sector. But cargo evacuation is equally important, and the entire logistics chain should be thought of. There should be a clear-cut maritime policy.”

G Sambasiva Rao, the MD of Sravan Shipping, said the supporting infrastructure was not adequate in the State and “if you build ports in a hurry, there is every danger that they may become mere stockyards or stacking yards.”

Vinita Venkatesh, Director of the Krishnapatnam Port Container Terminal, said a modern container terminal had been built at Krishnapatnam for taking care of the cargo emanating from the Vijayawada-Guntur region such as cotton, tobacco and other agri commodities.

“Still, the container cargo is finding its way to Chennai for several historical reasons as well as the high tax structure in Andhra Pradesh. The State government should address these issues,” she said.

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