Visakhapatnam Port is one of twelve major ports in India and the only major port in Andhra Pradesh. The port is India's third largest by volume of cargo handled and largest on the Eastern Coast. It is located 880 km (550 mi) from Kolkata Port and 780 km (480 mi) from Chennai Port, almost midway between the two other major ports along the coast of Bay of Bengal.[3]
History
Visakhapatnam port inner harbour view
Although the need for building a port on the east coast to access Central Provinces was felt by the British in the 19th century, the proposal of Col. H.Cartwright Reid of British Admiralty for constructing a harbour at Visakhapatnam was approved by the Government only after the First World War. The Inner Harbour was built by the Bengal Nagpur Railway between 1927 and 1933 to facilitate the export of manganese ore from the Central Provinces. The port was built at a cost of ₹378 lakhs.[4] The Port opened to ocean traffic with the arrival of a passenger vessel, S.S. Jaladurga of the Scindia Steam Navigation Co., on 7 October 1933[5] and was inaugurated by Lord Willingdon on 19 December 1933.[4]
During the Second World War, the military significance of the port increased. After India's independence, the port witnessed growth under the various Five Year Plans. Over time, the port has grown from one with 3 berths handling 1.3 lakh tonnes per annum to one with 24 berths and annual traffic of 65 million tonnes. The port was notified as a major port in 1964 under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. Later Major Ports Authority Act, 2021 with this act, the Visakhapatnam Port Authorty is in charge of running the port.[4]
Layout of the port
The port has two harbours: the Inner Harbour consisting of 22 berths and the Outer Harbour consisting of 8 berths and SPM. The inner harbour encompasses a water area of about 100 hectares and has three arms—northern, western, and north western—and is shared by the Port, Shipyard, and Eastern Naval Command. The northern arm is the main commercial arm of the inner harbour and has 19 berths. The western arm has three berths. The north western arm is entirely occupied by the Indian Navy.
The outer harbour has a protected tranquil basin of 200 hectares surrounded by a set of breakwaters (length of 3.025 km) on the eastern, southern and northern sides of the basin. The outer harbour has eight berths, a single point mooring (SPM), and a fishing harbour.
M/s.Hindustan Shipyard Ltd. and the Headquarters of Eastern Naval Command also exist adjacent to Visakhapatnam Port.
The Dolphin's Nose Hill to the north of the entrance channel protects the harbour from cyclones that strike the east coast.[3][4] The port is located on the area of a creek through which the coastal river Narava Gedda joins the sea.
Hinterland and cargo
The hinterland of the Visakhapatnam Port extends to north eastern Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, southern Orissa.[6] Iron ore, manganese ore, steel products, general cargo, coal and crude oil are the main commodities handled at this port.[7]
VPA in Rankings
The Only Indian Port To Enter Into Top -20 In World Bank 2023 CPPI ranking
4th Rank Among Major Ports- Cargo Handling
4th Rank Among Major Ports- Productivity
Cleanest port in INDIA
Connectivity
Rail
Vizag port from the fishing harbour
The port is connected to trunk railways directly through the railway yards to the Chennai-Howrah main lines of East Coast Railway. The port owns and operates a railway system with track length of about 186 km within port area. In 1971 the port owned 16 locomotives.[8] The entire port railway system is upgraded to the Railway standards. Electronic interlocking of lines and EI (electronic interlocking) cabin is being maintained.
Road
The Port is connected to National Highway – 16 (formerly called as NH-5) by 4 lane link road of 12 kms. developed and maintained by a SPV constituted by NHAI as a JV with VPA. Port is contemplating augmentation of the connectivity into a 6 lane road. A grade separator from H-7 area of VPA to the takeoff point of Port Connectivity Road at Convent junction separates port traffic from city traffic at Convent junction and makes vehicle transport more efficient.
Vizag Cruise International Terminal
Vizag International Cruise Terminal
The Vizag International Cruise Terminal is a State-of-the-art Cruise terminal with World-class infrastructure & amenities such as lounges, passenger gangways, restaurants, etc. to accommodate 2000 passenger vessels.
Green Port Initiatives
First Major Port run on entirely with solar power
Port of Visakhapatnam commissioned 10 MW Solar Power project at a cost of Rs. 60 crores with a power generation of about 178 lakh units per annum and connected to the grid.
Port also installed 190 KW Solar Power Plants utilizing the roof top spaces at a cost of Rs. 1.28 crores. The two Plants are also generating 800 units per day.
About 1008 nos. of 250 W SV/Metal Halide street lamps are replaced with 120 W LED street lights (energy saving of nearly 6.22 lakh units or Rs. 42 lakhs per annum).
Electrification of VPA railway lines for Engine On Load(EOL) & speedy evacuation.
Shore power supply facility will be provided at berths for the use of ships
VPA is keen on reducing its Carbon Foot Print to ‘Zero’
Green Belt was developed in Port covering an area of 630 acres for the last 3 decades. Approx. an amount of Rs.10.00 crores towards plantation of 2,26,000 plants
VPA initiated One million Plantation Drive in and around the city over a period of time to promote sustainability under compensatory afforestation and to minimize the pollution in the city
Continuous Monitoring environmental pollution and air quality stations
Fog mist canon to supress the dust during handling of bulk cargo
Major development Activities
Installation of mechanized fertilizer handling facility at EQ-7 berth in inner harbour at an estimated cost of Rs 200.99 Crores with a capacity of 3.61 MTPA.
Development of WQ-7&8 berths in inner harbour at an estimated cost of Rs 288.47 Crores with a capacity of 6.30 MTPA
Revamping of existing WQ-6 on DBFOT for handling of dry bulk cargo in inner harbour at a projected cost of Rs.250 crores with a capacity of 5.5 MTPA
Upgradation of ERP System at a cost of Rs.56 Cr for automation of all business processes
Development and Mechanization of existing EQ-6 berth in the inner harbour for handling all types of cargoes at a projected cost Rs.70 crores with a capacity of 2.81 MTPA
Construction of covered storage sheds in Port area at an estimated Cost of the Project Rs.116 Crores in an area of 10 Acres.
Development of Truck parking terminal in Port area at a cost of Rs.36 Crores in an area of 20 Acres.
Electrification of railway lines in VPT area for a length of 38 ETKM at a cost of Rs.16.52 Crores.
Mechanization of WQ-1,2&3 berths at a cost of Rs.350 Crores
Modernization of Fishing harbour with an investment of Rs.151 Cr
Multi modal connectivity projects with an investment of Rs.1390 Cr
