Sagarmala projects worth Rs 1 lakh cr in Andhra Pradesh identified: Minister of Shipping

More than 110 projects worth about Rs 1.1 billion have been identified in Andhra Pradesh under Sagarmala, although 35 works worth Rs 32,000 have already been completed, Union Minister for Ports and Shipping Sarbananda Sonowal said here on Saturday. Speaking at the Global Investors’ Summit held here, he said some of the projects focused on roll-on-roll-off (RORO), passenger docks, fisheries, port modernization and skills development, among others.

According to the minister, the port of Visakhapatnam has seen healthy cargo growth of over 7.5 percent in 2022-23.

“The port is in the process of transforming itself into a rental port on the orders of the ministry. Other ports can also follow by 2023,” said the shipping minister.

He said there are six projects operating in Visakhapatnam port which were awarded an investment of Rs 658 crore in January 2023.

Sonowal went on to say that the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Water, in cooperation with the Ministry of Fisheries, is upgrading fishing ports across India to international standards.

As many as 31 such ports are being developed under Sagarmala and Pradhan Mantri Macha Sampada Yojana, he said.

Likewise, Visakhapatnam fishing port will be upgraded at Rs 1.51 million which will result in improved quality of life for the local fishing community.

In addition, the Union minister noted that the international cruise terminal in the port city of Visakhapatnam is nearing completion and costing Rs 97 crore and is expected to be operational from April.

Sharing information on achievements at the national level, Sonowal said cargo-handling capacity has increased by 79 percent over the past nine years, including $421 billion worth of goods exports in 2021-2022.

Launched in March 2015, the Sagarmala program includes projects from various categories, such as: Lighthouse tourism, industrialization around ports, skills development and technology centers.