Visakhapatnam Port (History, Timings, Location and Image)

Visakhapatnam Port Images

Visakhapatnam Port is one of India’s 13 major ports and Andhra Pradesh’s only major port. It is India’s third largest state-owned port in terms of cargo handled and the largest on the country’s Eastern Coast. On the Bay of Bengal, it’s halfway between the ports of Chennai and Kolkata.

History of Visakhapatnam Port

Although the British recognized the need for a port on the east coast to access the Central Provinces in the 19th century, the proposal of British Admiralty Col. The government did not approve H.Cartwright Reid’s plan to build a harbour in Visakhapatnam until after World War I ended. The Bengal Nagpur Railway built the Inner Harbour between 1927 and 1933 to help the Central Provinces export manganese ore. On December 19, 1933, Lord Willingdon opened the port, which cost 378 lakhs to build.

During the Second World War, the port’s military significance grew. Following India’s independence, the port grew as a result of various Five Year Plans. The port has grown from three berths and 1.3 lakh tonnes of annual traffic to 24 berths and 65 million tonnes of annual traffic. The Major Port Trusts Act of 1963 designated the port as a major port in 1964. The Visakhapatnam Port Trust is in charge of managing the port under the Act.

Significance of Visakhapatnam Port

This port has made a significant contribution to the development of the state’s petroleum, steel, and fertiliser industries. It is also one of the country’s main fishing ports, with a dedicated fishing harbour that handles a significant portion of India’s seafood exports.

Visakhapatnam Port Timings

The port is open to the public from Tuesday to Thursday from 01:30 PM to 03:00 PM and it is closed from Friday to Monday.

Location Map For Visakhapatnam Port