Odisha Approves ₹134 Cr Astaranga Port Expansion Targeting ₹496 Cr Fish Trade

14 Oct 2026, 07:09 by Vinay Kakkad · KalingaTV

Bhubaneswar: A major bottleneck in Odisha’s coastal economy has long been post-catch spoilage—where roughly one-fifth of harvested marine stock degrades before reaching wholesale channels.

The state cabinet moved to directly address that gap, approving the financial bid to build Stage-II of the fishing harbour at Nuagarh in Puri district’s Astaranga block. The infrastructure overhaul carries a civil budget of ₹133.81 crore (excluding GST), with an execution window capped at 24 calendar months.

To enforce maritime engineering standards, the state engaged IIT Madras as Project Management Consultant to direct technical execution from design through delivery.

The Trade Math: Volume, Value, and Wastage Reduction

The economic premise of the upgrade rests on transforming Astaranga into a high-capacity commercial marine hub:

Capacity & Throughput: The basin will moor and service 1,960 mechanised boats, engineered to process an estimated annual landing of 55,876 metric tonnes.
Valuation: The projected yearly yield is pegged at roughly ₹496.36 crore in trade value.
Loss Containment: Upgraded cold-chain, handling, and dockside facilities aim to push post-harvest degradation down from 20% to 7%, ensuring better dockside margins for crews and improved product life down the retail chain.
Livelihood Reach: An estimated 35,000 marine fishers, boat crews, market intermediaries, and local aquaculture workers fall within the project’s direct and indirect economic catchment.

Waterfront Design and Operations

Unlike traditional landing points that offer little beyond mooring space, Stage-II is conceptualised as a self-contained marine industrial yard.

Vessels will access dedicated landing berths and extended quayside space, flanked by an idle quay to prevent dockside congestion during peak unloading hours. Vessel servicing is integrated into the site plan via an on-premise slipway and dedicated boat-repair facilities, alongside designated sheds where crews can dry, mend, and store nets and offshore gear.

For commerce, the harbour includes a direct-access auction hall linked into a dedicated retail and trade market complex. All handling zones are backed by 24-hour uninterrupted power and freshwater supply to meet modern food safety protocols.

Dual-Use Security and Policy Context

The engineering specifications also serve a strategic defense function.

The expanded harbour designates sheltered berthing infrastructure specifically for high-speed interceptors and patrol vessels operated by the Marine Police and the Indian Coast Guard. During severe cyclonic disturbances over the Bay of Bengal, the reinforced basin doubles as a fortified maritime storm shelter for the local fishing fleet.

The clearance feeds directly into Odisha’s broader Deep Sea Fishing Mission and the state’s long-range Vision 2036–47 roadmap, which seeks to migrate coastal fishing from subsistence operations into an export-ready, capital-backed blue economy.