ANDHRA PRADESH MARITIME BOARD (APMB): THE PIONEER Ports are the growth engines of economic development and sources of prosperity. Endowed with a coastline of 974 kilometres, the second largest in India and strategically located on the country’s eastern seaboard, Andhra Pradesh understands the importance of developing seaports and is poised to leverage its inherent maritime advantage Andhra Pradesh was amongst the first maritime states to recognize the imperative need for increased modernized port infrastructure and the role that private sector would be required to play in developing the same. Andhra Pradesh has prepared a perspective development plan of ports according to which a cargo of 100 MMTPA and 300 MMTPA would be handled by 2019-2020 and 2020-21 respectively As a thriving EXIM cargo hub, Andhra Pradesh already enjoys a leading position with a major port in Visakhapatnam and 15 other notified state ports, spread in 8 coastal districts APMB has drawn up fresh plans for port-led development with 3 new Greenfield ports to ensure comprehensive realization of coastal hinterland potential.