Business groups in the Visakhapatnam-Rajahmundry-Vijayawada (VRV) region must revive the coastal shipping and inland waterways sector, Gravity 2.0, a forum of entrepreneurs in the region feel.
Earlier, the region was known for its shipping and trade on the sea and also shipbuilding industry. However, with the passage of time, interest in it has diminished and today it is defunct. Inland waterways is playing a lesser role in the development of the economy of the region, reports suggest.
Entrepreneurs in the region are planning an investment summit in June to revive coastal shipping, an economical and eco-friendly mode of transport, in the area.
The use of less efficient means of transport such as road and to a lesser extent the railways has killed the shipbuilding industry for transporting goods within the region and to neighbouring areas through coastal shipping, intra-coastal shipping or inland waterways.
Some reports that the VRV region built and used specialised ships (Telugu Voda), the design of which is now lost.
In the nineteenth century, thousands of vessels were built at Tallarevu and ports like Korangi (Koringa) near Kakinada were buzzing with activity.
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