VIJAYAWADA: Along the Nellore coastline, Andhra Pradesh’s next major maritime gateway is rapidly taking shape.
Heavy dredging vessels manoeuvring in the access channel, and construction crews working round-the-clock on breakwaters are driving the greenfield Ramayapatnam Port toward a December 2026 operational debut, with physical progress surging past 80%.
The accelerated pace stems from a high-level infrastructure review in late May, where Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu set strict, time-bound completion targets for major ports, airports, and fishing harbours.
By placing port development on an expedited track—similar to industrial projects mandated to launch within 18 months—the State has prioritised swift operationalisation across key execution agencies.
That momentum is backed by official status reports tabled in Parliament by Union Minister for Ports Sarbananda Sonowal and fresh disclosures from the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB), confirming that Phase-A of Ramayapatnam Port has reached 80.50% physical progress, and 73.95% financial execution against its Rs 4,929.39-crore sanctioned cost.
Outer breakwaters stand at 97.98% completion, berth construction has reached 95.35%, and access channel dredging has passed 68.73% toward initial draft targets. Crucial last-mile evacuation networks are moving in tandem to prevent freight bottlenecks.
A 5.5-km direct road link connecting the harbour complex to National Highway 16 has reached 95% completion and is eyed for a September commissioning.
Parallelly, a 7.4-km railway line connecting to Tettu station—having secured Railway approval for its Engineering Scale Plan—is 30% complete toward a synchronised December finish.
Port to handle Super Cape-size vessels up to 2L DWT & -20.2 m basin depth
Beyond the initial Phase-A buildout, the State has initiated an international bidding process to bring in a private operator on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) basis, unlocking an estimated Rs 20,000-crore investment opportunity over a 50-year horizon.
Spanning 2,538 acres across four development phases, the port’s master plan envisions expanding total cargo capacity from 34.04 MMTPA to 138.54 MMTPA across 19 planned berths. Engineered to handle Super Cape-size vessels up to 200,000 DWT with a maximum basin depth of -20.2 metres, Ramayapatnam is positioned to capture vast hinterland traffic across Telangana, eastern Maharashtra, and eastern Karnataka.
A dedicated liquid berth has been allocated to Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) for captive use, anchoring a proposed large-scale petroleum refinery adjacent to the port. Under the concession framework, the APMB will retain a 12% non-dilutable equity stake across all development phases.Ramayapatnam serves as the central anchor for a broader Rs 1,286-crore maritime buildout taking shape under the Sagarmala programme, supported by Rs 272 crore in sanctioned Central assistance.
Key completed interventions include Visakhapatnam Port’s dedicated coastal berth (Rs 43 crore), an NHAI grade separator bypassing Convent Junction (Rs 60 crore), the Rs 288-crore Juvvaladinne Fishing Harbour in Nellore, and upgrades at Kakinada Anchorage Port costing Rs 85.83 crore.
Alongside brick-and-mortar builds, the Sagarmala skill ecosystem has placed 2,240 candidates from coastal districts into jobs through DDU-GKY programmes and the Rs 574-crore Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS) in Visakhapatnam. District figures show Visakhapatnam leading with 2,161 placements, followed by East Godavari and Srikakulam.
Further north up the coast, parliamentary records confirm that the Kakinada SEZ Port has logged 32% physical progress toward a September 2028 operational target, with marine breakwaters (84%) and bulk berths (85%) well advanced. Coupled with the ongoing Rs 178.51-crore modernisation of the Visakhapatnam Fishing Harbour, the coordinated push between Amaravati’s policy drive and New Delhi’s financial backing is re-anchoring AP’s position along the eastern seaboard.