In line with the growing importance of the city, an Indian flag 24000 DWT container cargo vessel has been named after the city.
‘SSL Visakhapatnam’ of Bombay-based Shreyas Shipping and Logistics Limited was flagged off after its maiden call at the Visakhapatnam Port by Visakhapatnam MP Khambampati Haribabu here on Thursday. The 1,613 TEU capacity vessel carrying over 1,000 containers set sail the from city to connect to Jebel Ali and Mundra, as part of the fixed day weekly coastal shipping service being provided by the liner.
“My chest swells with pride every time I hear the name of the city when I am abroad, and I am happy that this ship shall carry the name of the city to other lands and more people are going to be talking about the city,” the Visakhapatnam MP said, and hoped there would be enough traffic to increase the frequency of such ships calling at the port.
He complimented Shreyas Shipping for entering the much needed coastal shipping sector and suggested the Visakhapatnam Port Trust Chairman organise trade meets to increase awareness on advantages of coastal shipping.
Wishing more Indian companies entered this line and there would be more Indian flag carrying vessels operating out of our ports, Chairman of Visakhapatnam Port Trust M.T. Krishna Babu hoped the initiative of Shreyas Shipping in taking up coastal shipping would inspire more companies to enter the sector.
The trade should be encouraged to adopt the coastal shipping as it was economically viable and environmentally sustainable and highly efficient. The end-to-end logistics providers have to work to bring down the logistics cost from 19 per cent to make our products competitive, the VPT Chairman said pointing out that it was a mere seven per cent in China. The Indo-Bangla Accord on coastal shipping would help bring down the cost of transportation of goods to North East, he noted.
Customs Department has reduced its paperwork and today 80 per cent of the shipment is cleared on inspection, Principal Commissioner Customs C. Rajendiran said urging the trade to cooperate with the department.
Second Container Terminal
The environmental clearance for the second container terminal has been received and work would begin soon on that, Mr. Babu said. It should be ready in next two years and once complete, the Visakhapatnam Port would have 900 m of quay enabling more container cargo vessels to berth at the port. This would help the port become a transhipment hub.
Port Deputy Chairman PL Haranadh, CEO of Shreyas Shipping Capt D.K. Singh, CEO of Shreyas Relay Systems S. Varadarajan and Chief Operating Officer of Visakha Container Terminal Sushil Mulchandani, Deputy Conservator of VPT Capt Tripathi, Port and Customs officials and members of trade were present.
