Sonowal confident of VPA joining elite 100 mn tonnes plus club

Visakhapatnam: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has said that Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) is one among top performers and exuded confidence that it will soon join the elite club of 100 million tonnes plus by enhancing its throughput.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the Indian Lighthouse Festival 3.0, recently after launching a series of infrastructure development projects worth Rs230 crore by Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA).

The projects are aimed at strengthening safety systems, enhancing ship repair capabilities, modernising administrative infrastructure and improving residential facilities at the port, in line with the government’s vision of building world-class, future-ready maritime infrastructure.

Sonowal said "the projects reinforce Visakhapatnam’s role as a modern maritime gateway, and empower India’s eastern coast—advancing our collective goal of a Viksit Bharat and positioning India among the world’s leading maritime nations."

Among the projects launched is the upgradation of fire-fighting facilities at the LPG berth to accommodate vessels of 40,000 DWT and above, in compliance with OISD-156 safety guidelines. The project, with an investment of Rs52.24 crore will significantly enhance safety preparedness at the port.

To augment ship repair and maintenance capacity, the Union Minister also launched the upgradation and development of infrastructure facilities at the ORS Dry Dock, to be leased on a licence basis for 15 years.

The project entails an investment of Rs35.87 crore and is expected to support maritime repair activities and generate additional employment opportunities.

In addition, construction of a new Administrative Office Building (AOB) at a cost of Rs97.70 crore was launched to modernise office infrastructure and improve operational efficiency at the port.

The Minister also launched the construction of residential apartments at Harbour Park, with an investment of Rs44.20 crore, aimed at enhancing housing facilities and welfare for port employees.

He said India’s maritime sector has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade through major policy and infrastructure reforms.

In 2024–25, the country’s 12 major ports handled a record 855 million tonnes of cargo, while average vessel turnaround time was reduced from 96 hours in 2014 to 49.5 hours in 2025, placing Indian ports among the world’s most efficient.

"Today, nine Indian ports feature among the global top 100, with Visakhapatnam Port ranking in the top 20 for container traffic. The momentum has been strengthened by the Sagarmala Programme, under which 272 projects worth Rs1.41 lakh crore have been completed, alongside a sharp revival of inland waterways, where cargo movement has risen over 700% to nearly 150 million tonnes annually," he informed.