Andhra Pradesh’s efforts to position itself as the “Gateway of India’s East Coast” gained momentum on Thursday with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between APM Terminals and the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board. Under the agreement, APM Terminals, a subsidiary of AP Moller-Maersk, will invest Rs 90 billion to develop ports in the state.

The MoU, signed in the presence of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, outlines plans to develop and upgrade the ports of Ramayapatnam, Machilipatnam and Moolapeta. APM Terminals will install and manage modern terminals and cargo-handling systems, with the project expected to generate 10,000 direct jobs.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister said the initiative would strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s role in India’s logistics network and called on APM Terminals to ensure its services cater to the domestic cargo market as well. He emphasised that the state government’s vision is to build a “future economy” anchored around ports and logistics.

The Chief Minister has directed officials to prepare an integrated logistics plan positioning Andhra Pradesh as a logistics hub for the country. He also urged APM Terminals to assist in developing a comprehensive multimodal cargo transport strategy involving rail, road, inland waterways and air connectivity.

Naidu noted that several neighbouring states, including Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and parts of Odisha, depend on Andhra Pradesh’s ports. He said the logistics framework should aim to deliver cost-effective cargo movement for these regions. The state government’s broader plan also includes developing a port or harbour every 50 kilometres along its 1,053-kilometre coastline.

The signing ceremony was attended by Minister for Roads and Buildings BC Janardhan Reddy, Maritime Board Chairman Damacharla Satya, Industries Secretary Yuvaraj, senior officials and representatives from APM Terminals.

News source: The Hans India