The minister said Andhra Pradesh is well positioned to emerge as a globally competitive maritime and logistics hub, backed by its strategic location, extensive coastline and expanding port infrastructure.
Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal has said Andhra Pradesh is well positioned to emerge as a globally competitive maritime and logistics hub, leveraging its long coastline, strategic location and expanding port infrastructure.
Addressing the 31st Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, Sonowal highlighted the state’s approximately 1,053-km coastline along the Bay of Bengal, access to major international shipping routes and proximity to key Asian manufacturing and trading centres. He said these advantages could help Andhra Pradesh become India’s principal maritime gateway to ASEAN, East Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific region.
Crediting the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the support of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Sonowal reiterated the Centre’s commitment to work with the state government, industry and global investors to unlock the state’s maritime potential.
“If Hyderabad became Cyberabad, Andhra Pradesh today has the opportunity to become India’s Maritime Gateway to the East,” Sonowal said.
He added that the state’s maritime infrastructure is set for further expansion through four greenfield port projects under development at Mulapeta, Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam and Kakinada SEZ, which are expected to strengthen cargo-handling capacity and support industrial growth.
Shipbuilding Growth Opportunity
Identifying shipbuilding and ship repair as major growth opportunities, Sonowal highlighted the proposed greenfield shipbuilding cluster at Dugarajapatnam. The project has received in-principle approval under the National Shipbuilding Mission and envisages an investment of approximately ₹300 billion, with a targeted annual capacity of 1.2 million gross tonnes.
A special purpose vehicle involving the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board and Visakhapatnam Port Authority has been established for the project. Sonowal invited global shipbuilders, technology providers, equipment manufacturers and maritime investors to explore opportunities in the state.
“We have been taking major steps to develop the capacity, technology and industrial ecosystem required to achieve this goal,” he said.
He added that the Central Government has earmarked ₹700 billion in financing support for shipbuilding and maritime activities to support sectoral growth and attract investment.
Maritime Investment Momentum
Sonowal said initiatives such as Sagarmala, Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 are laying the foundations for a globally competitive maritime economy, with an envisaged investment potential of ₹80 trillion.
The minister said India’s maritime sector has attracted investment commitments worth nearly ₹25 trillion across four global maritime investment summits.
He also highlighted the ₹100 billion Container Manufacturing Scheme, aimed at promoting domestic container production, and the proposed ₹100 billion Coastal Cargo Promotion Scheme, designed to harness the potential of India’s 12,000-km coastline. The ₹800 billion Vadhavan Port project in Maharashtra was cited as another major initiative to strengthen national maritime infrastructure.
Emphasising the growing role of technology, Sonowal said, “Smart ports powered by artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, automation and digital logistics platforms would be central to improving efficiency and competitiveness. Andhra Pradesh has the opportunity to take a leading role in this transformation.”
He called for deeper collaboration between governments, industry and investors to accelerate development across port infrastructure, shipbuilding, ship repair, cruise tourism, coastal shipping and maritime manufacturing.