The port, once fully completed, will have a total of 19 berths and will be able to handle 138 million metric ton of cargo annually.
The construction of the Ramayapatnam Port in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore district is progressing well. The first phase of the project, estimated to cost Rs 3,736 crore, is expected to be completed soon.
According to officials, the south and north breakwater works at the port are nearing completion. Additionally, the dredging and reclamation works are scheduled to be finished by September.
During the initial phase of development, the port will feature four berths. These berths will have a cargo handling capacity of 34 million tonne per year. This capacity will greatly contribute to the efficient handling of goods and materials in the region.
The foundation stone for the construction of the Ramayapatnam Port was laid by Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy in July 2022. Since then, significant progress has been made, and the completion of the first phase is now within sight.
The port, once fully completed, will have a total of 19 berths and will be able to handle 138 million metric ton of cargo annually.
The Ramayapatnam Port Development Corporation Limited, which operates under the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board, is responsible for executing the project on behalf of the state government.
The Andhra Pradesh government is building Ramayapatnam port through the engineering, procurement and construction model. The estimated Rs 3,560 crore project cost includes a debt-to-equity ratio of 58:42 and an impressive internal rate of return of 18.99 per cent.
The port will serve its main hinterland, which includes the Andhra Pradesh districts of Nellore, Prakasam, Guntur and Kurnool as well as Telangana’s Nalgonda, Mahabubnagar, Rangareddy and Hyderabad.
The YSR Kadapa, Chittoor, Anantapur and other parts of Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Karnataka are part of the secondary hinterland.
Proposed Ramayapatnam Port Limit. ( Govt of AP)
Other greenfield ports in Andhra Pradesh
Ramayapatnam is one of the four new greenfield ports that are currently being developed by the state government.
Machilipatnam Port is currently under construction with an estimated expenditure of Rs 5,155 crore. The port will have a total of 16 berths and an annual cargo handling capacity of 115 million metric tonnes. For the initial phase, four berths will be available.
Greenfield ports in AP (Twitter)
The progress of the ground improvement and the construction of the south and north breakwaters is currently underway, reports Economic Times.
The development of the first two berths at Mulapeta Port in Srikakulam district is also progressing rapidly. The port, with a cost of Rs 4,361 crore, will have a total of 10 berths and an annual cargo handling capacity of 83 million tonne.
New Fishing Harbours In Andhra Pradesh
Regarding the fishing harbours being constructed in the first phase, significant progress has been made.
The works at Uppada, Machilipatnam, Nizampatnam, and Juvvaladinne have been completed up to 55.46 per cent, 56.22 per cent, 62 per cent, and 86 per cent respectively. The Juvvaladinne fishing harbour will be ready in 40 days.
In the second phase, the construction of fishing harbours at Budagatlapalem, Pudimadaka, Kothapatnam, Odarevu, and Biyyaputippa will be taken up.
The completion of the Manchineellapeta fishing harbour in the first phase was requested by the Chief Minister.
It was reported that the construction of the jetty at Nelaturu in Nellore district and the establishment of fish land centres at Bheemili, Rajaiah Peta in Anakapalli district, Chintapalli in Vizianagaram district, Rayadaruvu in Tirupati district, Dondavaka in Anakapalli district, and Uppulanka in Kakinada district are currently underway.