Visakhapatnam Port soars to 20th in world rankings

Visakhapatnam: A few days after its container terminal was ranked 19th in the world, Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) received another shot in its arm by positioning itself at 20th among all the major ports in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) for 2023, with 62.29 index points.

This remarkable achievement underscores the port’s commitment to operational excellence and strategic importance in global trade. VPA made an extraordinary advancement in the CPPI climbing to the 19th position from the 122nd place in 2022. This remarkable shift of 102 position is a testament to the port’s substantial progress and development over the past year.

The substantial rise in rankings reflects the concerted efforts of VPA’s management and staff to enhance operational efficiency, invest in advanced technologies, and implement best practices in port management. These strategic initiatives have not only improved the port’s performance metrics but have also strengthened its competitive position in the global maritime industry.

VPA, one of the top five premier ports in India, was thrown open to ocean traffic way back in 1933. It is located at a strategic position on the East Coast. The port’s inner harbour has 100 hectares with 23 berths and the outer harbour has 200 hectares of waterfront area with three berths. It is planning to become a landlord port over a period of three years with seamless connectivity and cargo handling facilities in a completely automated environment, VPA Chairman Dr M Angamuthu, told Bizz Buzz. The improved rankings also highlight VPA’s pivotal role in facilitating trade and economic growth, both regionally and internationally. The port’s enhanced capabilities are expected to attract increased cargo traffic, boost trade volumes, and contribute significantly to the country’s economic development. This milestone is a significant endorsement of VPA’s strategic vision and operational excellence, setting a strong foundation for future growth and success.

Dr Angamuthu stated, “We are immensely proud of this recognition. The leap in our global ranking is a direct result of our team’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to excellence. We will continue to strive for higher standards and further improvements to serve our stakeholders better and to position VPA as a leading port globally.”

In this financial year the port has set an ambitious target of 90 MTPA cargo and one million tree plantation drive, balancing the cargo growth and environment sustainability. At the same time the port is giving importance to human resource development by providing training and skill development to port employees and also local youth through Indian Maritime University (IMU) and Centre of Excellence in Maritime and Shipbuilding (CEMS).