The capacity of the Visakhapatnam port capacity has now risen to 120 million tonnes with 27 berths and several projects are in progress in the port to further enhance the capacity and improve the services to customers, according to Chairman M.T Krishnababu. The port was established in 1933 by the British, with hardly two lakh tonnes capacity.
He was reviewing the progress of the port here on Thursday at a media conference on the occasion of the formation day to be celebrated soon. He said the port had handled 63.5 million tonnes of cargo last year (2017-18) and for the current financial year the target had been set at 67 million tonnes. "We are sure we will achieve, and even surpass, the target," he added.
He said several old berths were being upgraded and new ones being constructed at the port, and containerisation was also gathering momentum. "We are taking all possible steps to reduce pollution to the minimum, acceptable levels and to cause no inconvenience to the citizens," he said.
In response to a question, Krishnababu said there was a possibility of one, or even two, major ports coming up in Andhra Pradesh, but he felt that there would be no threat to Vizag port.
"There was a proposal initially to set up a major port at Dugarajapatnam in Nellore district and it was also included in the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, but the proposal was given up as it was found to be technically unviable. The AP Government was asked to choose an alternative site and a technical committee was also constituted to find an alternative," he said.
In addition, he said, Union Shipping Minister Nitin Gadkari had offered to develop a port at Vodarevu, if the State Government was willing to offer 3,000 acres of land, "but there are several issues to be sorted out still with regard to the proposal."
He also spoke about the several CSR initiatives of Vizag port.