Over Rs 4000 crore to be spent to modernise Visakhapatnam port: Mansukh Mandaviya

Another Rs 444.10 crore would be spent on mechanization of coal handling facilities and upgradation of GCB in the outer harbour to cater to larger capacity vessels, the Minister added. Another nine projects entailing total investments of Rs 1,009 crore are for connectivity and logistics.

About Rs 4,095 crore would be spent to expand and modernise the Visakhapatnam Port, thereby increasing its capacity from the present 126.89 million tonnes to 141.64 million tonnes per annum by the financial year 2023. Union Minister of State for Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya stated this in a written reply to a question raised by YSR Congress member Parimal Nathwani in the Rajya Sabha, the MPs office here said in a release.

The Minister said the Visakhapatnam Port Trust (VPT) has drawn out plans to mobilise investments from the private sector, in addition to the investments from internal resources, in the major thrust areas of deepening of channels and berths. "The current capacity of VPT is 126.89 million tonnes.With the completion of ongoing capacity addition projects, the capacity is projected to be 141.64 million tonnes by FY 2023," the Shipping Minister said in his reply.

Giving details of the proposed works, the Minister said there were 12 projects with a total investment of Rs 3,086 crore under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) model. The largest investment of Rs 633.11 crore, which was already underway, was for extension of the existing container terminal by adding 9.50 million tonnes per annum capacity.

The other large project of Rs 581 crore was for upgradation of the existing mechanized facility in the Outer Harbour for iron ore handling to add a capacity of 16.20 MTA. Another Rs 444.10 crore would be spent on mechanization of coal handling facilities and upgradation of GCB in the outer harbour to cater to larger capacity vessels, the Minister added.

Another nine projects entailing total investments of Rs 1,009 crore are for connectivity and logistics. The second phase of Multi Modal Logistic Hub of CONCOR would be developed at a cost of Rs 372 crore, Mandaviya told Nathwani.

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