Expansion of Visakhapatnam Port

Posted on 18 Jul, 2016 6:11 pm

Expansion of Visakhapatnam Port

Visakhapatnam Port has taken significant steps to increase its capacity. These include construction of new berths and terminals , modernising berths with state of the art loading/unloading equipment to improve operational efficiency and deepening of channels to accommodate larger vessels. The details of completed projects and on-going projects are as follows :

ANNEXURE-I

S. No.	Project	Capacity Addition (in MTPA)
Completed Projects
1	Development of Vizag General Cargo Berth (VGCB) with integrated mechanical coal handling Major Ports that can handle Super Cape Size vessels	10.18
2	Development of Vizag Coal Terminal (EQ-1) in inner harbour with integrated mechanized steam coal handling facility on DBFOT basis	6.41
3	Development of WQ-6 berth in inner harbour on DBFOT basis	2.08
4.	Development of EQ-10 berth in inner harbour on DBFOT basis	1.84
5.	Development of two berths in the Inner Harbour for handling coastal cargo as a Green Channel Berths	1.66
On-Going Developments
1	Development of EQ-1A berth in inner harbour on DBFOT basis with a capacity of 7.36 MTPA	7.36
2	Up-gradation of existing facility and creation of new facility for iron ore through integrated mechanized handling system on DBFOT basis with a capacity addition of 7.50 MTPA	7.50
3	Extension of existing container terminal at outer harbour on DBFOT basis with a capacity of 0.54 MTEUs	0.54
4.	Development of West Quay North berth (WQ-7 & WQ-8) in inner harbour with a capacity of 6.39 MTPA	6.39
5.	Development of multi-purpose terminal by replacing EQ-2 to EQ-5 berths in inner harbour with a capacity of 6.0 MTPA	6.0
6.	Installation of 2 nos. Mobile Harbour Cranes on license basis with a capacity of 3.0 MTPA	3.0

The following measures have been put in place by the port to reduce tariff to drive higher productivity, improve utilization of assets and increase competitiveness of major ports:

(i) Productivity norms for different types of cargoes are being fixed on a scientific basis in a phased manner and being implemented.

(ii) 40% rebate in vessel and cargo related charges is given for Coastal vessels.

(iii) Cargo handling levy on general cargo, bagged cargo, steel and project cargo is removed completely.

(iv) Cargo handling levy on unloading of thermal coal wagons reduced from 499% to 150%.

(v) Concessions are being extended to the tune of 100%, if 20% growth is shown over previous year’s cargo handling.

(vi) 25% discount on the sum of port dues and pilotage on Scale of Rates approved by TAMP for all container vessels, including Mainline vessels irrespective of the size of vessels (GRT) in terms of the provisions of Clause 12 of TAMP approved Scale of Rates, 2011.

(vii) 50% concession for Mainline container vessels of 50,000 GRT and above.

(viii) 50% concession for all container vessels when the service is giving direct connectivity to ports not covered by existing lines.

The steps taken by the port has resulted in significant improvement in efficiency parameters of the port which are as under:

Description	April – June 2016	April – June, 2015	% improvement
Average pre-berthing detention (in days)	0.97	1.75	46
Average turn around time (in days)	3.37	4.30	22
Average output per ship berth day (in tonnes)	14,285	11,656	23
Cargo throughput (in MT)	15.60	13.33	17

As per agreement finalized during official visit of Hon’ble Prime Minister of Nepal to India on 18-22 August 2009 and subsequent meeting of Inter-Governmental Committee in Kathmandu on 27.1.2010, the Port of Visakhapatnam has been notified as 2^nd Gateway Port for additional transit facility to Nepal. The agreement provides for transport of the cargo through the rail route connecting Visakhapatnam-Jogbani or/and Visakhapatnam-Birgunj. In addition to the rail route, four road routes have also been identified which are as under:

(i) Vishakhapatnam-Cuttack-Kharagpur-North Kolkata-Biratnagar.

(ii) Vishakhapatnam–Cuttack-Ranchi-Patna-Muzaffarpur-Raxaul- Birgunj.

(iii) Vishakhapatnam-Cuttack-Ranchi-Aurangabad-Varanasi-Gorakhpur-Bhairahwa.

(iv) Visakhapatnam-Cuttak-Ranchi-Aurangabad-Varanasi-Lucknow-Nepalgunj.

The movement of traffic-in-transit between Port of Visakhapatnam and Nepal will be in sealed containers and in full rake only and the cost of transhipment will be borne by the consignor/consignee.

S. No.	Project	Capacity Addition (in MTPA)
Completed Projects
1	Development of Vizag General Cargo Berth (VGCB) with integrated mechanical coal handling Major Ports that can handle Super Cape Size vessels	10.18
2	Development of Vizag Coal Terminal (EQ-1) in inner harbour with integrated mechanized steam coal handling facility on DBFOT basis	6.41
3	Development of WQ-6 berth in inner harbour on DBFOT basis	2.08
4.	Development of EQ-10 berth in inner harbour on DBFOT basis	1.84
5.	Development of two berths in the Inner Harbour for handling coastal cargo as a Green Channel Berths	1.66
On-Going Developments
1	Development of EQ-1A berth in inner harbour on DBFOT basis with a capacity of 7.36 MTPA	7.36
2	Up-gradation of existing facility and creation of new facility for iron ore through integrated mechanized handling system on DBFOT basis with a capacity addition of 7.50 MTPA	7.50
3	Extension of existing container terminal at outer harbour on DBFOT basis with a capacity of 0.54 MTEUs	0.54
4.	Development of West Quay North berth (WQ-7 & WQ-8) in inner harbour with a capacity of 6.39 MTPA	6.39
5.	Development of multi-purpose terminal by replacing EQ-2 to EQ-5 berths in inner harbour with a capacity of 6.0 MTPA	6.0
6.	Installation of 2 nos. Mobile Harbour Cranes on license basis with a capacity of 3.0 MTPA	3.0

This information was given by Minster of State for Road Transport and Highways & Shipping Shri Pon Radhakrishnan in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha today.

Courtesy – Press Information Bureau, Government of India