Increasing demand for iron ore from China has led to rise the related activities at the port of Visakhapatnam. As many as 29 iron ore exporters and iron ore mine owners have approached the Visakhapatnam port for allotment of space in port area for stocking of iron ore exports to China.
Visakhapatnam port has mechanical iron ore handling facility. For the last 38 years , the state-owned National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) and MMTC have been exporting Bailadilla iron ore from the Vizag port to Japan in major quantities and in a small measure to China. During the last financial year, both the corporations exported about 50 lakh tonnes of iron ore from the port.
Because of mechanical handling facility, the port is able to load around 60000-80000 tonnes of iron ore per day.