AP in for big growth leap with thrust on new ports, allied industrial clusters
The target is set to handle almost 20 per cent of total cargo in the country through greenfield and brownfield port infrastructure across coastal Andhra
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Visakhapatnam: The mission to develop mega port-led industrial clusters across eight ports; shipyards, defence corridors and energy hubs taking advantage of nearly 1,000-km coastline will change the economic landscape of Andhra Pradesh.
The target is set to handle almost 20 per cent of total cargo in the country through the greenfield and brownfield port infrastructure across coastal Andhra. Andhra Pradesh Maritime Development Board (APMB) is developing new ports at Mulapeta, Machilipatnam, Kakinada and Ramayapatnam with massive investment. Lands have been acquired to create dedicated industrial clusters around eight ports in a time-bound manner. The new ports with private players are being developed with an initial investment of Rs16,000 crore.
Officials say the government is keen on ensuring 75 per cent capacity utilisation by 2030 and meet the requirement for skilled manpower in the maritime industry by training 5,000 professionals by 2028 and establishing skill and maritime universities.
APMB has already drawn up proposals to mobilise over Rs10,000 crore to create the required infrastructure around the ports so as to develop new industrial clusters around the ports. The amount required for infrastructure creation is likely to be obtained under the second phase of Sagarmala Mission.
In an exclusive chat with Bizz Buzz, Muralidhran Krishnamoorthy, a port evangelist who earlier served as CEO of APMB, said this is a bold step towards transforming India’s eastern seaboard, Andhra Pradesh is rolling out eight world-class port-based industrial clusters, anchored around both existing and upcoming deep-water ports including Mulapeta, Kakinada Gateway Port, Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam, Visakhapatnam, Gangavaram, Krishnapatnam, and Kakinada Deep Water Port. Each cluster will have 5,000 acres or more, with additional land banks now being identified to meet long-term expansion needs. The State’s plan is to create sector-specialised, self-sufficient industrial cities, each integrated seamlessly with port logistics.
Muralidharan, a passionate champion of the blue water economy, said the sector-specific industrial hubs will create a lot of job avenues and will have a multiplier effect on the economy.
Every port will focus on one or more priority sectors such as steel and aluminium, automobiles and EV ecosystems, refinery and petrochemicals, power equipment and renewable energy, green ammonia and hydrogen, pharmaceuticals and chemicals.
Discussions are already underway with a large steel plant, a major refinery operator, and leading pharma groups, alongside investors in green ammonia, LNG terminals and advanced marine energy systems, shipbuilding, ship repair and ship-breaking zones
Muralidharan said a major addition to the programme is the development of shipyards and dry-dock complexes, ship repair and refit facilities, environmentally compliant ship-breaking yards, a dedicated defence manufacturing and maintenance corridor.
