Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) organised a trade meet as part of marketing initiative to improve cargo volumes through the port on Friday.
Addressing over 130 participants and guests, VPA Chairman K. Ramamohana Rao said that the port has taken a number of measures to develop infrastructure and efforts are on to develop a container transhipment hub, which he said was the need of the hour.
The chairman said that during first two months of the current financial year, VPA has handled 14.2 MT of cargo which is 6% more compared to the corresponding period last year.
If things progress in this manner, we will be handling close to 72.72 MT in this year, he said.
He also said that the port has already spent money to the tune of ₹237 crore under capital expenditure and will be spending around ₹208 crore in this year.
Mr. Ramamohana Rao also spoke about the environmental measures being taken and its plans to minimise carbon footprint in the coming years.
“In this financial year, VPA will be planting 30,000 trees in the port area and we have developed a masterplan for improving the drainage system and upgrading the stockyards with an investment of ₹60 crore,” he said.
“Under the Bharatmala project, VPA and NHAI are developing road projects worth ₹1,054 crore to decongest roads and improve the last mile connectivity,” he said.
DRM of East Coast Railway Anup Kumar Satpathy and Hanumantha Rao, Secretary Steam Ship Agents Association, spoke.
