VPA hits record output of 91.17 MMT

Visakhapatnam: Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) has achieved the historic milestone of 91.17 MMT (million metric tonnes) in FY 2025–26, registering 10.35 per cent growth in throughput over the previous year with the authorities chartering out an action plan with an investment of Rs3,000 crore to slash logistics cost to ensure last-mile connectivity.

VPA Chairman Dr M Angamuthu said after a stakeholders meeting here on Thursday to thank them for working as a team for surpassing the 90 MMT target set by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) that they have undertaken various projects for handling dusty cargo affecting air ambient quality at bare-minimum. The port is paying special emphasis on clean cargo. The connectivity works will be completed on a war-footing in a year or two, he said. The multi-pronged approach adopted by the port focuses on handling cargo in a mechanised environment with their transportation either by pipelines or trucks covered with sprinkling and reducing scope for storage within the port area.

The port is also diversifying by becoming a 50 per cent equity partner with AP Maritime Board for development of the Mega Shipbuilding Cluster at Dugarajapatnam in Tirupati district and proposing to become a joint venture partner in the Mulapeta Port being developed by the State Government in Srikakulam district.

As part of the green initiative, the port has already planted four lakh saplings and is moving in the direction to achieve the target of one million trees in a year or two. The port will increase solar power generation from the present 10 MW to 30 MW soon so as to meet its requirement as well as that of the industries located at the Exim Park.

Major contributing factors driving the impressive growth of VPA in the just-concluded financial year are attributed to key commodities such as POL and crude (28.11 MMT, +13 per cent), iron ore (+15 per cent), fertilisers (+42 per cent), along with introduction of thermal coal cargo. There was improvement in operational efficiency by reduction in turnaround time, berth delay, and improved productivity indicators leading to faster vessel handling and higher throughput making VPA a most-preferred port in this part of the region.

The landmarks achieved included highest single-day cargo of 5,50,198 MT, 24 vessel movements in 24 hours, high berth occupancy with 28 out of 32 berths engaged, 24x7 seamless vessel operations supported by advanced VTMS, AIS navigation systems, and strong safety & emergency response mechanisms.

As part of capacity augmentation initiatives, the year under review marked continuous development of berths, storage facilities, roads, and railway network (176+ km with 40+ sidings) enabled smooth cargo evacuation and higher capacity utilisation. The port has used to the optimum its capability to handle Cape size vessels (up to 200,000 DWT) and deep drafts (16–21m), maximising parcel size and efficiency. It has among the globally recognised best practices, has adopted Gemini operations for heavy lift cargo and efficient handling practices for enhanced productivity.

As a strategic move, it has used :it used Single Point Mooring (SPM) facility, including first-ever crude oil loading, showcasing its operational versatility and optimisation.

Dr Angamuthu said achieving a throughput of 91.17 MMT reflects their operational excellence, infrastructure strength, technological adoption, and seamless coordination, positioning it as one of India’s leading and most efficient ports.

VPA Deputy Chairperson Roshni Aparanji Korati attributed the record-breaking performance to team spirit shown by the workforce, the stakeholders, patronage from the Centre and the State Governments under the leadership of Dr Angamuthu.