Andhra Pradesh's Machilipatnam Port to get new freight transport system amid massive revamp, Goa Shipyard defence deal

The Machilipatnam Port, a minor port in Andhra Pradesh's Krishna district, is all set to receive a Real-Time Automatic Cargo Evacuation System, also known as the Enhanced Freight Transport System (e-FTS).

A quadripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the e-FTS, which was signed on November 9, was officially exchanged during the 30th edition of the CII Partnership Summit 2025 in Visakhapatnam from November 14-15, as per a Maritime Gateway report.

Under the terms of the MoU, four organisations will work together to conceptualise, design, and implement the pilot project.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) will be the lead partner in the execution of the MoU, with support from the BEML and UTI Infrastructure Technology and Services Ltd (UTIPL). The Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board (APMB), which manages the Machilipatnam Port, will act as the client in the deal.

The enhanced freight transport system, which combines automation with real-time tracking, is set to streamline and boost the cargo evacuation process.

This is a major step towards the development of the minor port into a major deepwater greenfield port over the coming years, in line with India's objectives under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 and the Maritime Vision 2030.

This follows a landmark MoU signed between the APMB and Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) at the same summit. As per this MoU, the Machilipatnam Port was chosen to be a part of the shipbuilder's defence manufacturing plans for India's eastern coast.

The GSL-APMB deal involves building modern facilities for next-generation naval vessel construction, including offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), missile boats and coastal security craft, a Hindu report said.

Maritime