Construction of the Machilipatnam Port, which began on April 21, 2023, is expected to be completed by October 2025. Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal gave a detailed written reply in Parliament, highlighting major developments in  the sector in Andhra Pradesh.

Though not included in the central government’s Sagarmala Scheme, the port is supported by a term loan of Rs 3,940.42 crore from the Power Finance Corporation (PFC) to the Machilipatnam Port Development Corporation (MPDCL), a subsidiary of the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB).

Furthermore, Visakhapatnam Port Authority and the Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) have undertaken 36 projects in Andhra Pradesh amounting to Rs 4,600 crore. Of these, 22 projects worth Rs 2,530 crores have been completed, and 14 projects of Rs 2,070 crore, are at various stages of implementation.

Among these developments is an international cruise-cum-coastal terminal at Visakhapatnam Port, designed to accommodate both international and domestic passengers. India’s port capacity has seen growth exceeding 2,500 MTPA in 2022-23, as well as doubling of cargo handling capacity at major ports over the years.

Under the Sagarmala initiative, two Centres of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMs) have been established in Mumbai and Visakhapatnam. As the first of its kind in Asia, the Visakhapatnam campus, integrated with the Indian Maritime University, has 18 laboratories and provides engineering and technical skills to over 10,000 students.