Indian Ports Bill will strengthen maritime sector, says MP Sribharat

Highlighting the role of maritime infrastructure in India’s economic growth, Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat on Tuesday extended his support to the Indian Ports Bill, 2025, during a discussion in the Parliament.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Mr. Sribharat described the Bill as a much-needed step towards streamlining port development, improving ease of doing business, ensuring effective dispute resolution, and creating a unified framework for port identification and regulation across the country.

The MP noted the significant progress achieved in Andhra Pradesh’s port sector in the past decade. “The turnaround time for ships at major ports has halved, and India’s international shipment ranking has risen sharply,” he said. He said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s plan to establish a themed port, every 50 km, specialising in sectors such as petrochemicals, ship repair, and shipbuilding, as a major driver of regional growth.

The MP also referred to the recent conclave in Visakhapatnam, attended by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal and representatives from seven Bay of Bengal nations, as a testament to the State’s growing prominence in international maritime cooperation. “Andhra Pradesh is already emerging as a leader in cruise tourism, with successful cruise operations and more in the pipeline,” he observed.

Mr. Sribharat urged the House to adopt the Bill “in the spirit of nation-building”, emphasising that it would strengthen India’s maritime capabilities and bring lasting benefits to coastal communities.