The authority at Visakhapatnam port has appointed Indian Maritime University (IMU) to study the shifting of existing fishing harbour at Visakhapatnam port to an alternative location at Bhimunipatnam. According to IMU the study involves geotechnical investigation, topographical survey, data collection, hydrographic survey etc., and would cost the port about Rs 27 lakh and would be ready within two months.
The existing fishing harbour is the largest on the East coast. Currently around 600 mechanised boats and nearly 100 small and big trawlers operate from this 30-year-old fishing harbour. Every year, more than Rs 500 crore worth of marine products, mainly tiger shrimp, are harvested at this harbour.
Congestion is very heavy at the port and so the authority has planned to shift the fishing harbour to an alternative location. The authority informed that the shifting of fishing harbour would cost Rs 400 – 500 crore, but still the port is prepared to spend this amount to enable better utilisation of the harbour space.
Port officials said that after shifting the fishing harbour the space hence opened up could be used for construction of two to three berths with deep draft, which can accommodate larger vessels with the huge back up area coming handy for stocking cargo. This will help reduce port congestion drastically, even catering to the future needs of the port with revenues expected to increase significantly.
