Trade zone, cruise terminal at Vizag Port on cards: Official

The Visakhapatnam Major Port Trust would be setting up a free trade zone on its 100 acre of land, which would be operational by next year-end, its deputy chairman P L Harinath has said.

Addressing a press conference on the celebration of the foundation day of the port on October 7, he said the port would also establish a Rs 77-crore cruise terminal which would begin functioning from 2020.

To control pollution, the port would build sheds for coal at a cost of Rs 500 crore to avoid dust, the deputy chairman said.

Speaking about the ongoing major projects, he said they included extension of the existing container terminal taken up by the (VCTPL) Visakha Container Terminal Private Limited at a cost of Rs 633 crore.

The port began its operations on October 7, 1933and played a key role in the economic development of the country during the last86 years, he said.

It has facilitated establishment of many port-based industrial units like HPCL ,NMDC, MMTC, Essar ,IOC, BPCL and Coromandal International Limited, among others, he said.

Also, it contributes to marine trade with Asia and Asia Pacific regions besides the Persian Gulf, Europe, America and Africa, Harinath said.

In view of the foundation day of the port, its operations would be open for school children on October 6 and 7. The visitors would be taken by buses and shown the loading and unloading of cargo.