Daijiworld Media Network- Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam, Sep 3: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday reiterated his government’s commitment to transforming the state into a premier maritime logistics hub, positioning it as the “gateway of the East Coast.”

Addressing the East Coast Maritime Logistics Summit held in Visakhapatnam, Naidu highlighted the strategic importance of Andhra Pradesh’s 1,053-km-long coastline and its growing role in national and regional trade connectivity.

“As of today, Andhra Pradesh stands second in the country in sea cargo handling. But our vision is larger—our ports serve not just Andhra Pradesh but also Telangana, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and even parts of Odisha,” the Chief Minister said.

Outlining future projects, Naidu revealed that Telangana has sought Andhra Pradesh’s support to establish a dry port in connection with Machilipatnam, ensuring smoother freight movement for its industries. He also mentioned that Maharashtra’s Chief Minister had recently requested a Godavari Waterway link to connect with Madhya Pradesh, further underscoring Andhra Pradesh’s role as a regional trade lifeline.

Naidu stressed the importance of developing three major trade corridors—Visakhapatnam–Chennai, Chennai–Bengaluru, and Hyderabad–Bengaluru—to expand the state’s reach and strengthen its logistics network. “Our market is not confined to Andhra Pradesh alone. We are building infrastructure that will benefit multiple states across India,” he remarked.

Currently, Andhra Pradesh has six operational ports and four more under construction. With an ambitious plan to establish a port or fishing harbour every 50 km, the Chief Minister said the state aims to maximise its maritime potential and emerge as a logistics hub of global standards.

The summit, attended by industry leaders and policymakers, provided a platform for Naidu to share his government’s roadmap to position Andhra Pradesh as the nation’s key maritime gateway.