Team Siliconindia

• Andhra Pradesh signs MoU with APM Terminals (AP Moller-Maersk) for ₹9,000 crore investment to develop Ramayapatnam, Machilipatnam, and Mulapeta ports
• State aims to become a major east coast trade hub, integrating rail, road, inland waterways, and air for efficient cargo movement
• Project to create 10,000 direct jobs, build modern terminals, and improve port connectivity along AP’s 1,053 km coastline

Andhra Pradesh is on the verge of becoming the gateway for sea trade on India's east coast, with the State government's plans gaining concrete shape. In a major development, APM Terminals, a part of global shipping and logistics major AP Moller-Maersk, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB) to push port development in the State.

The deal, inked in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, has an investment of `9,000 crore for the development of the Ramayapatnam, Machilipatnam, and Mulapeta ports, and necessary infrastructure.

APM Terminals will build state-of-the-art terminals, and sophisticated cargo handling systems, with operations managed by it. This is estimated to provide direct employment opportunities for 10,000 individuals.

The Chief Minister emphasized APM Terminals to expand its services to the domestic market for effective transportation of goods. He called for the development of an economic ecosystem aligned with the ports, and reaffirmed that the overarching objective is to develop Andhra Pradesh as a future economy by building strong ports and logistics infrastructure.

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He asked the authorities to prepare a holistic plan to establish Andhra Pradesh as India's leading logistics hub. This involves an integrated cargo movement strategy through rail, road, inland waterways, and air.

He asked APM Terminals to join hands in coming up with this framework, underlining that the bordering States like Telangana and Chhattisgarh, and regions of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Odisha, are dependent to a large extent on AP's ports.

Naidu stressed that the plan must facilitate low-cost transportation of goods from these areas. Referring to AP's 1,053 km coastline, he listed an action plan to build a port or a harbour every 50 km so as to improve connectivity and efficiency. 

The programme of signing MoUs was witnessed by Minister for Ports BC Janardhan Reddy, Chairman of Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board Damacharla Satya, Secretary of Industries Department N Yuvaraj, top officials, and APM Terminals representatives.