Visakhapatnam port is all set to increase its capacity to 145 MMTPA in the next two years after the completion of ongoing projects, according to outgoing chairman M.T. Krishnababu. The current capacity of the port is 127 MMTPA.

At a media conference here on Thursday, he reviewed the progress of the port during the past five years - from 2014 to 2019 - during his tenure. He said the port handled 65.30 million tonnes of cargo in 2018-19 as against 63.54 million tonnes during 2017-18. "For the past three years, the port's cargo has been growing by 5 per cent in spite of competition from neighbouring private ports," he said.

He said deepening of the draft of the inner harbour from 11 mt to 14.5 mt was one of the important projects taken up during his tenure, enabling the port to handle bigger vessels carrying 1 lakh tonnes. The berths were also strengthened to handle bigger vessels. "The port spent Rs 1,200 crore of its own funds on modernisation works and private operators spent Rs 2,500 crore. We have created, along with private operators, end-to-end mechanised handling facilities. It has reduced pollution in the port along with other measures," he said.

Krishnababu said Visakhapatnam was now adjudged the third cleanest port in the country and "ours is the only port running entirely on solar energy. We have got the green port award."

However, he said, despite efforts, covered storage facilities could not be created during his tenure. The study was given to IIT Chennai, but not much headway could be made. "Now we are floating an open tender," he said.

A cruise terminal was also sanctioned for the port and the infrastructure in and around the port was being developed under the Sagarmala project and other projects. "A bright future lies ahead of Visakhapatnam port and I am glad I have played my part in it," he said. He also spoke at length about the CSR activities undertaken by the port.

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