Kakinada Port

Kakinada Port :

           The Port of Kakinada is on the Southern Part of East Coast of India at 16.56' (North) & Longitude 82.15'.(East). It is the principal sea port amongst the minor ports in INDIA and is under the control of the government of the State of Andhra Pradesh. The maritime history of the Port dates as far back as the year 1805, when the port of "Coringa" nearby had to be closed due to shoalir.g. The port activities for handling sailing ships of those days took place near about the present Jagannaickpur Bridge. In order to prevent silting in the navigational channel groynes were built extending them from time to time towards the sea, to a length of about 5 Kms. Thus the present commercial canal with a length of about 5 Kms. and width of about 70 Mts. had been formed for maintaining depths for boat navigation.

          Affords excellent protection to the water spread of the bay measuring about 100 Sq.Km. and renders complete protection to the Port of Kakinada from South - West Monsoon. Cargo is transported through privately owned Steel barges from ship to shore and vice versa through the commercial canal.

    With the provision of various infrastructure facilities recommended by the Gole Committee the Port is in a position to handle more than 2.5 Million Tons. of traffic per annum. During the years 1995-1996, the Anchorage Port has handled 2.23 Million of Tons of cargo.

Potential and Efficiency of Kakinada Port :

                 In the case of Kakinada Port, we can find easily that its potential from the view-point of cargo generation capacity of its hinter-land is being under-utilised. The level of infrastructure available at the port is found to be far short of the requirements for handling export/import cargoes belonging to the industries that have come up or are proposed to be set-up in the port's hinter-land.

              This port is classified as an intermediate port and is all weather sheltered anchorage port. Kakinada Bay, with water spread of about 2.5 Sq.Km. is encircled and protected upto three quarters of its perimeter by the mainland and the Godavari sand spit, also known as "Hope Island". This Island had originated about 200 years ago from the mouth of the river littoral drift along the shoreline and had extended to a length about 11 nautical miles so far, thus forming into a natural breakwater protecting the entire eastern portion from the fury of the sea and providing tranquility and shelter to the ships which are berthed at anchor in the Kakinada Bay. Thus, the port of Kakinada has become one of the safest natural harbours on the east coast of India.

Communications

           The district is served by Rail line (Broad guage) double line from Rajahmundry to Tuni and single line from Kakinada to Samalkota covering a distance of 126 km only. People have to depend upon Road Transport. Almost all the places in the district are connected by well-laid out roads. The District has a network of navigation canals also facilitate transport by boat. Mostly Agricultural commodities like Coconut and other goods are carried through water transport system.                              
                                                                                                                By:-G.Siva koti

Kakinada port