Visakhapatnam Port Authority in India Opens 710-Meter Waterfront Promenade and Advances Berth Upgrades

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On November 11, the Visakhapatnam Port Authority of India opened the port waterfront promenade to the public while simultaneously advancing the mechanization upgrades of five cargo berths and the expansion of sewage treatment facilities. The waterfront promenade has a total length of 710 meters, covers approximately 5.5 acres, and involved a construction investment of about 19 million rupees; the five-berth upgrade project adopts a public-private partnership model, involves three operation contracts, and has a combined designed annual cargo handling capacity of 11 million tons, with a minimum guaranteed throughput of 5.5 million tons.

The waterfront promenade is located near the International Cruise Terminal of Visakhapatnam Port, extending along the waterfront from Venkateswara Temple to the International Cruise Terminal. The project was built on existing port land and features a waterfront walking path, two viewing platforms, a park, a public plaza, a children's play area, a dining area, and visitor parking facilities. After the promenade opened to the public, citizens can watch vessels entering and leaving the port and cargo loading and unloading operations in designated areas, with public activity areas kept separated from normal cargo operation areas.

The port cargo facility upgrades involve five berths—WQ-1, WQ-1RE, WQ-2, WQ-3, and EQ-3—operated and maintained by three private operators. Berths WQ-1 and WQ-1RE were awarded to Bothra Shipping Services for a contract term of 10 years, extendable by 5 years based on performance, with a designed annual handling capacity of 3 million tons; berths WQ-2 and WQ-3 are operated by Vizag General Cargo Berth for a contract term of 15 years, extendable by 5 years, with a combined annual handling capacity of 6 million tons; berth EQ-3 is operated by Delta Infra Logistics for a contract term of 10 years, extendable by 5 years, with a designed annual handling capacity of 2 million tons.

The three berth operation projects have a combined designed annual handling capacity of 11 million tons and a combined minimum guaranteed throughput of 5.5 million tons. Among them, the minimum guaranteed throughput for WQ-1 and WQ-1RE is 1.5 million tons/year, for WQ-2 and WQ-3 is 3 million tons/year, and for EQ-3 is 1 million tons/year. The upgrades include the deployment of cranes, conveyors, and related mechanized loading and unloading facilities, as well as the improvement of environmental control systems. The relevant operation contracts had been awarded successively, with the Visakhapatnam Port Authority announcing contract tender amounts of 40.54 million rupees, 90.08 million rupees, and 28.84 million rupees, respectively, all excluding goods and services tax.

The port area's sewage treatment facilities are also included in this construction arrangement. The existing sewage treatment capacity is 10 million liters/day, which will reach 15 million liters/day after expansion, including the construction of a new sewage treatment plant with a daily treatment capacity of 5 million liters. The project involves an investment of approximately 11.86 million rupees, is being constructed by Velko Infratek Projects of Vijayawada, and the work order was issued on May 8, 2026, with a planned construction period of 11 months. The reclaimed water produced by the existing treatment facilities is mainly used for road sprinkling, stockyard dust suppression, and road wetting in the port area.

In fiscal year 2026, Visakhapatnam Port's cargo throughput reached 91.17 million tons, a year-on-year increase of approximately 10%, marking the fourth consecutive fiscal year of growth. From April 1 to October 31, 2026, the port's cargo throughput increased by 4.44 million tons compared with the same period of the previous year, a growth rate of 8.88%. The berth operation and mechanization upgrades cover a designed annual handling capacity of 11 million tons, and the related projects will improve berth utilization efficiency through equipment deployment and operational management adjustments.

The event on November 11 was presided over by Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways of India. In addition to opening the waterfront promenade to the public, foundation stone laying ceremonies were also held for the berth operation upgrades and the sewage treatment facility expansion project. Subsequent works will focus on the deployment of berth loading and unloading equipment, conveyor systems, and the construction of sewage treatment facilities.