Kamarajar Port in Tamil Nadu has become India’s second major port with 18-metre draft capability after the completion of its Capital Dredging Phase VI project.
Located on the east coast of India, about 24 km north of Chennai, Kamarajar Port is situated along the Coromandel Coast near Ennore.
The port, earlier known as Ennore Port, is one of the key maritime gateways serving the Chennai region.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, the port can now handle fully laden Capesize vessels carrying cargo parcels of up to 1,70,000 DWT.
With this, Kamarajar Port has become the second major port in the country after Visakhapatnam Port to offer a draft of 18 metres.
The Capital Dredging Phase VI project was completed with an investment of about ₹440 crore.
The project involved deepening the outer approach channel from 20 metres to 23 metres and the inner entrance channel from 19 metres to 22 metres.
The work also included dredging alongside berths to handle 18-metre draft vessels, along with deepening of the harbour basin and associated navigational areas.
The ministry said the project was taken up to make Kamarajar Port Cape Compliant, allowing it to handle fully laden Capesize vessels.
Kamarajar Port was declared a major port in March 1999 and incorporated as Ennore Port Limited in October 1999. It was later renamed Kamarajar Port Limited.
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The port was originally developed to handle thermal coal for nearby power generation requirements. Over time, it has expanded into a multi-cargo port handling bulk, liquid, automobile and container cargo.
Kamarajar Port began with a capacity of 12 MMTPA and now has a handling capacity of 58.44 MMTPA.
The port operates as an artificial harbour protected by breakwaters and has developed as a key cargo-handling facility on India’s east coast.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said the completion of Capital Dredging Phase VI had transformed Kamarajar Port into a deep-draft, Cape Compliant port capable of handling fully laden Capesize vessels of up to 1,70,000 DWT.
He said the project would improve cargo-handling efficiency, reduce logistics costs, support ease of doing business and strengthen the port’s role as a gateway for India’s EXIM trade.
The ministry said the enhanced draft capability will allow shipping lines to deploy larger vessels at the port.
Larger vessels can reduce freight costs through economies of scale, improve operational efficiency and increase cargo-handling capacity.
The ministry said the upgraded depth will strengthen Kamarajar Port’s competitiveness against domestic and international ports and support the growing requirements of India’s EXIM trade.
The Cape Compliant depth also places Kamarajar Port among ports capable of handling larger bulk cargo vessels, giving it a stronger role in India’s east coast maritime network.
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