Andhra partners with A.P. Moller-Maersk, to develop Rs 9000 crore container terminals

Hyderabad: APM Terminals, a subsidiary of the global shipping and port management giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, has signed an MoU with the AP Maritime Board for the development of ports in the state.

Established in 1904 APM Terminals is the world's oldest port operator which owns and operates container terminals across the world. APM Terminals is a subsidiary of Maersk that operates in 130 countries in the world

With an investment of Rs 9,000 crore, APM Terminals will develop infrastructure and modernize the Ramayapatnam, Machilipatnam, and Mulapeta ports. The MoU was signed in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Friday. The company will establish and operate modern terminals and cargo handling systems at these ports. This initiative is expected to create direct employment opportunities for about 10,000 people.

The chief minister emphasised that APM Terminals’ services should also benefit domestic cargo movement across India. He suggested that an economic ecosystem should be developed around the ports. Highlighting the state’s vision, Naidu stated that the goal is to make Andhra Pradesh a future-ready economy through world-class ports and logistics.

He also instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive plan to position Andhra Pradesh as the logistics hub of India. He requested APM Terminals to extend support in preparing an integrated plan for cargo movement through rail, road, inland waterways, and air routes.

Naidu noted that Telangana, Chhattisgarh, as well as parts of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Odisha depend on AP’s ports, and hence the plan should ensure cost-effective cargo transport from these regions. He further stated that with AP’s 1,053 km long coastline, the government has initiated a strategy to establish a port or harbor every 50 km.