Visakhapatnam Port Authority (VPA) is planning to establish a new 15-MW solar plant in a phased manner. With an existing 10-MW solar plant, the port has requested the Andhra Pradesh government for land to set up the additional facility. VPA was the first among the 12 major ports in the country to install a solar plant.
In an effort to reduce carbon emissions from its equipment and transportation vehicles, the port aims to utilize LNG, CNG, and green hydrogen. To facilitate this, VPA has partnered with the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to develop a CNG bunkering facility at an investment of Rs 10 crore.
Additionally, the port will construct four covered storage sheds with a capacity of 2.94 lakh MT to store bulk cargo, with an estimated cost of Rs 116.04 crore. VPA Chairperson M Angamuthu stated that the construction work is scheduled to be completed between September and March.
The port has implemented various green initiatives in compliance with the ‘Harit Sagar’ guidelines for achieving quantifiable reductions in carbon emissions by 2030. Measures include the deployment of 221 water sprinklers across eight cargo storage locations to suppress dust from cargo stacks, as well as the operation of a 10 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) to treat municipal waste entering the port area. Another 5 MLD STP is in the pipeline.
To control dust emissions, nine fog cannon machines have been deployed round the clock. VPA plans to invest Rs 337.69 crore in developmental projects in the upcoming fiscal year.