Credits: Maritime Gateway
Latest reports claim that the V.O. Chidambaranar Port, a leading cargo handling facility in South India, has announced extensive plans to enhance its capacity to handle cargo, aiming to reach 50 million tonnes per annum. Chairman Susanta Kumar Purohit detailed a series of strategic initiatives designed to augment the port’s operational capabilities and efficiency.
Key among the planned upgrades is the dredging of the North Cargo Berth-III (NCB-3), which will be completed by October this year. This project will enable the port to accommodate vessels with a draft of up to 14.20 meters. Concurrently, dredging will also be carried out in the entrance channel, approach channel, and turning circle area to support larger vessels.
The NCB-3 will be further enhanced through mechanization by JSW Infrastructure Limited over the next 18 months. The upgrade will include the installation of shore unloaders with a capacity to handle 7 million tonnes per annum. In the interim, two Harbour Mobile Cranes (HMC), each with a capacity of 100-120 tonnes, will manage an additional 2 million tonnes of cargo within the current fiscal year.
To support container trade, the port’s third container terminal, the Tuticorin International Container Terminal, operated by the JM Baxi Group, is set to be commissioned by September. The terminal will feature a draft of 14.20 meters and a Length Overall (LOA) of 370 meters, with a capacity to handle 600,000 TEUs of containers. Structural works are completed, and remaining tasks such as berth refurbishment and installation of crane rails are progressing rapidly.
The port also plans to deploy a floating crane and three barges to handle an additional 2 million tonnes of bulk cargo at anchorage over the next few years. On the other hand, two mooring dolphins with necessary infrastructure will be constructed at the oil jetty by mid-2025 for smaller vessels.
To improve handling efficiency at Coal Jetty-2, the port will remove the existing conveyor system and modify three hoppers to facilitate lighterage of fertilizer and raw material vessels. The jetty, with a draft of 12.7 meters, has already completed the modification works. Additionally, a link conveyor will be installed at Coal Jetty-1 to handle coal vessels with an arrival draft of 13 meters, with a completion target of October 30 this year.
North Cargo Berth-2 will see an increase in throughput capacity with the deployment of an additional Harbour Mobile Crane, raising its handling capacity to 25,000 tonnes per day. The berth area will be expanded by approximately 5,000 square meters each in NCB-2 and NCB-3 through backfilling with dredged materials, with completion expected by November.
Finally, the port will introduce two exclusive crawler cranes at Berths 5 and 6 by the end of September to facilitate the seamless handling of windmill blades.
These comprehensive expansion initiatives underscore VOC Port’s commitment to enhancing its infrastructure to meet growing cargo demands and bolster its position as a key maritime hub in the region.