Maritime Board still eludes Andhra Pradesh

Visakhapatnam: The state government has ambitious plans on port-led development and a Maritime Board still eludes AP.

For a holistic approach to explore the vast opportunities that lengthy coastline offers, a Maritime Board that can frame maritime policy is needed.

AP has around 972 kms coastline standing second in the country after Gujarat. Experts in the ports and shipping sector are pointing that for private partners to invest in shipping and port sector a clear institution-led policy is required coupled with a good business model as well as the government’s clear intention to develop this sector. Maritime Board is one such institution that can frame AP specific ports policy.

AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, in December last year, at a Business Conference in Vizag, had said that the state government would also release a maritime policy and it is yet to see the light.

Earlier, it was hinted that a fresh draft bill related to setting up of Maritime Board will be tabled in the state assembly for legislation but it never happened.

While AP already has 5 ports, it has plans to develop 4 more along the state’s coastline. Recently, bids were called for the development of Bhavanapadu port in Srikakulam.

“Now several months have passed and there is still no news on this subject. It’s been often said by the state government that AP coastline would be the driver of growth in the new state of AP. This being the case, there is an urgent need for setting up the AP Maritime Board and bring all state ports under this organisation as well as future developments so that there is a focused approach as was seen with the success of the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB), which has been very successful in developing minor ports as well as shipping related activities in their state,” said VCCI vice-president A.V. Monish Row, who is into shipping business for more than three decades. Mr Monish Row wanted a legislation to be passed by the AP government.