The two-day East Coast Maritime business summit begins here on Thursday. The annual event is being organised by the Hyderabad-based magazine, Maritime Gateway, and supported by the Visakhapatnam Port Trust and the Visakha Container Terminal Limited.

R. Ramprasad, the Executive Director of the magazine, said 350 delegates from shipping and port sectors across the country would participate in the seminar. "There is great enthusiasm in the country over the growth of ports after the new Government at the Centre has assumed charge and the AP Government is also laying stress on port-led growth. All the relevant issues will be discussed in the two-day seminar," he said.

Visakhapatnam port chairman M.T Krishna Babu said all the stakeholders in the sector would put their heads together to address the various challenges being faced by the sector. The Visakhapatnam port, where currently projects worth more than Rs 3,000 crores are being executed, would play the key role in the growth of maritime trade on the east coast, he added.

Sushil Moolchandani, the Chief Operating Officer of the VCTPL, said no effort would be spared in developing Visakhapatnam as a container hub.

sarma.rs@thehindu.co.in

Published on January 21, 2015