Visakhapatnam
UN/LOCODE INVTZ · India · Asia-Pacific · AP
Visakhapatnam (UN/LOCODE INVTZ) is a designated seaport with an adjacent airport in India (AP) in the tropical northern Indian Ocean region. The port operates on Asia/Kolkata, uses the Indian Rupee (INR), runs shore power at 230V/50Hz (Type C/D/M). Nearest major airport for crew changes is Visakhapatnam International Airport (VTZ), 8 km from the port.
Reference
- Coordinates
- 17.7, 83.3
- Time zone
- Asia/KolkataUTC +05:30no DST
- Local currency
- INR— Indian Rupee
- Languages
- hi, en
- Nearest airport
- VTZVisakhapatnam International Airport~8 km
- Electricity
- 230 V50 Hzplugs C, D, M(country default — verify at berth)
- Climate
- AwTropical savanna (dry winter)
Country-coastal Köppen zone (most ports cluster on the coast). For port-coordinate resolution use Kottek 2006 0.5° grid.
- Function codes
- 1234-6--
seaport · rail terminal · road terminal · airport · inland clearance / multimodal
- Port authority
- Visakhapatnam Port Authority | Departments
Operational details
Compiled from public port-authority and P&I-club directories. Always verify current contacts via your agent before arrival.
Pilotage / VTS
Visakhapatnam VTMS
- VHF: Ch 12 / 16
- Phone: +91 891 278 7700
- Web: vpt.shipping.gov.in/Template/navigateTemplate/gnt/RGVwYXJ0bWVudHM=
P&I correspondents
- · Bose & Mitra Vizag
- · Stephenson Harwood Mumbai
- · PICC Marine India
Port agents
- · GAC India Vizag
- · Inchcape India
- · JM Baxi Vizag
ISPS security level (normal): 1
Natural deep harbour; iron ore, coal and POL major traffic; NE monsoon Oct-Dec; cyclone risk May and Oct-Nov.
Helplines for seafarers in India
Welfare, abandonment, wages, medical, mental health, harassment — 24/7 lines where available. See full helplines directory.
- NUSI (India)Asia-Pacific · Office hours · en, hi
- MUI (India)Asia-Pacific · Office hours · en, hi
- Sailors' Society IndiaSouth Asia · Mon–Sat · en, hi, ml, ta
- National Union of Seafarers of India (NUSI)South Asia · Office hours · en, hi
- NUSI (National Union of Seafarers of India)Asia-Pacific · Mon-Fri 9:30-18 IST · hi, en
- MUI (Maritime Union of India)Asia-Pacific · Mon-Fri 10-18 IST · hi, en
Other ports in India
Port-state-control region: indian ocean MoU · how to file a PSC complaint.
Visakhapatnam: seafarer FAQ
- Is shore leave allowed at Visakhapatnam?
- Shore leave at Visakhapatnam is governed by India immigration rules, the flag administration's policy, and the port authority's local rules. Seafarers normally need their seaman's book + a shore-leave permit issued by the agent. Confirm with your agent before going ashore — local policy changes frequently.
- What visa or shore-pass do I need for Visakhapatnam?
- Seafarers calling at Visakhapatnam on a vessel are generally exempt from regular tourist visas under Convention 108 / 185 (Seafarers' Identity Documents) if their flag administration has ratified the convention and they hold an SID. The standard document is the seaman's book + ship's crew list. India may also require a shore pass issued by the agent. Confirm before you board the vessel — visa rules vary by nationality and by recent immigration-policy changes.
- Is there a seafarer welfare centre at Visakhapatnam?
- Yes — 1 seafarer welfare centre is listed for Visakhapatnam in our directory. The centres are typically run by the Mission to Seafarers, Stella Maris (Apostleship of the Sea), or a regional ministry, and offer wifi, transport, shop, chaplaincy, and advocacy. Walk-in is normal; no appointment needed.
- Is there a crisis or welfare helpline I can call from Visakhapatnam?
- Yes — 6 helplines are listed for India in our directory, plus ISWAN's 24-hour multilingual SeafarerHelp (+44 20 7323 2737) and the ITF Helpline. Helplines handle crisis support, abandonment, wage theft, mental health, and bereavement.
- What's the nearest hospital to Visakhapatnam?
- Most major ports have a port-area hospital with seafarer-accustomed admissions; the welfare centre and the ship's agent can both advise. For serious cases, the nearest international hospital is normally in the same city or the next major city. The nearest major airport is Visakhapatnam International Airport (VTZ), about 8 km away — useful for medevac planning.
For the arriving crew
- Pilot ladder (SOLAS V/23) — rigging + inspection + Master's duty of care.
- Pre-arrival checklist — the standard bridge + engine + agent workflow before entering port.
- Ships' agent — role + documentation + interface with pilotage + tug + immigration.
- Currency at port — cash-carrying limits + declaration + safe practices.
- Hours of rest — STCW VIII/1 + MLC A2.3 rest rules during port operations.
Sources & verification (13)
- country_iso3 · ISO 3166-1 (IN)retrieved 2026-05-06
- country_name · ISO 3166-1 (IN)retrieved 2026-05-06
- currency_code · ISO 4217:2015 (INR)retrieved 2026-05-06
- currency_name · ISO 4217:2015 (INR)retrieved 2026-05-06
- languages · CIA World Factbook (public domain), national-language listing (IN)retrieved 2026-05-06
- timezone_iana · IANA tz database (Asia/Kolkata)retrieved 2026-05-06
- timezone_utc_offset · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Asia/Kolkata)retrieved 2026-05-06
- timezone_dst · ECMA-402 Intl.DateTimeFormat (computed) (Asia/Kolkata)retrieved 2026-05-06
- electricity · IEC TR 60083 plug-and-socket standard list (IN)retrieved 2026-05-06
- function_codes_expanded · UNECE Rec. 16 — UN/LOCODE function-code mask (1234-6--)retrieved 2026-05-06
- nearest_major_airport · OurAirports (CC0) — davidmegginson.github.io/ourairports-data (VTZ)retrieved 2026-05-07
- wikidata_qid · Wikidata SPARQL (P1937 UN/LOCODE join) (Q200016)retrieved 2026-05-07
- climate_classification · Kottek et al. 2006 / Beck et al. 2018 — country-coastal Köppen zone (IN)retrieved 2026-05-07
Last verified
High confidenceEditorial confidence: how we grade. Data sources and methodology: /sources.