Visakhapatnam, 12 November 2026.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, today delivered the keynote address at the 31st CII Partnership Summit 2026 in Visakhapatnam. He outlined a clear vision to position Andhra Pradesh as a globally competitive maritime and logistics hub and the principal gateway for India’s Eastern and Central hinterland.

Addressing industry leaders, investors and policymakers, Shri Sonowal praised the visionary leadership of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu. He noted that just as the Chief Minister had anticipated the digital economy in the 1990s and helped establish Hyderabad as a major technology destination, the state now has a historic opportunity in the maritime sector of the 21st century.

Highlighting Andhra Pradesh’s strategic advantages, the Minister pointed to its approximately 1,053 km coastline along the Bay of Bengal and proximity to major international shipping routes connecting India with East and Southeast Asia and the wider Indo-Pacific. He highlighted the strong performance of Visakhapatnam Port, which handled a record 91.17 million tonnes of cargo in FY 2025-26, registering nearly 10 per cent growth and sustaining continuous growth for the fourth consecutive year. He informed that he had laid the foundation for projects worth nearly ₹600 crore at Visakhapatnam Port to further expand capacity, improve ease of doing business and generate employment.

The Minister stated that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, India is advancing a comprehensive maritime transformation through Sagarmala, Maritime India Vision 2030 and Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, with an estimated investment of ₹80 lakh crore. He emphasized that  Andhra Pradesh is an important partner in this national effort. Four major greenfield port projects — Mulapeta, Machilipatnam, Ramayapatnam and Kakinada SCJ Port — are under construction and will significantly enhance the state’s cargo handling capacity and industrial potential.

A major highlight of the address was the proposed greenfield shipbuilding cluster at Dugarajapatnam. The project has received in-principle approval under the National Shipbuilding Mission, with an estimated investment of about ₹30,000 crore and a targeted annual capacity of 1.2 million gross tonnage. He said that a special-purpose vehicle involving the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board and Visakhapatnam Port Authority has been formed.

Shri Sonowal extended a direct invitation to global shipbuilders, technology companies, equipment manufacturers, port operators and investors:

 

He outlined three clear ambitions for the state:

• Make Andhra Pradesh India’s leading destination for port-led development in line with the Sapta Dhara roadmap for Viksit Bharat 2047.
• Develop Andhra Pradesh into a globally competitive shipbuilding and ship-repair hub.
• Position Andhra Pradesh as India’s Eastern Maritime gateway to Asia, East Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

The Minister emphasised that realising this vision requires close partnership between the Central Government, the Government of Andhra Pradesh, and domestic and international investors. He expressed confidence that Andhra Pradesh, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu and with the support of the Centre, will play a defining role in India’s maritime future and contribute significantly to the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.

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