New Delhi, Nov. 14 -- Andhra Pradesh is set to get a major boost to its maritime industry, with the Centre granting in-principle approval to a proposed Rs.30,000-crore shipbuilding cluster at Dugarajapatnam in Tirupati district.

Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal announced the development on 12 November at the 31st Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Partnership Summit in Visakhapatnam. The project has been approved in principle under the National Shipbuilding Mission and aims to create a major shipbuilding and repair centre on India's east coast.

The proposed cluster is expected to have an annual shipbuilding capacity of 1.2 million gross tonnes (GT). It will include a large shipyard, ship repair fac...