Tamil Nadu to develop ports to boost coal supply

Small and minor ports intended to promote coastal shipping as well as cruise tourism.

The Tamil Nadu government is planning to develop more small and minor ports in the state to supply coal for power plants and promote coastal shipping as well as cruise tourism.

Speaking to Business Standard, Vellakoil Saminathan, minister for highways and ports, Tamil Nadu, said the state government is keen on developing more minor and small ports in the state. He added that his ministry is getting ready to promote Colachel port in Thanjavur district as a common port "" which can handle multiple traffic types like cargoes and passengers. Other ports in the pipeline include a common port in Cuddalore, and small ports in Rameswaram and Nagapattinam.

Saminathan added that the government would set up a port near Thirukuvalai at cost of Rs 750 crore to supply coal for the upcoming Rs 10,000-crore 2,000-Mw power project in Nagapttinam district. The site is close to Thirukuvalai, native place of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

The port, to set up near Vettaikkaran Iruppu village, will have an elevated conveyor system in place to supply coal directly to the power plant. It will have a capacity of upto 40 million tonnes of coal annually, he added. The project is likely to be funded through private partnerships.

Meanwhile, State Electricity Minister Arcot N Veerasamy told the Tamil Nadu Assembly last week that "wherever possible, the state government will develop small ports in the state". These ports will be transshipment points for the proposed 'transmission corporation' which is likely to produce 7,000-8,000 Mw electricity annually, he added.

He added that the state government would establish the transmission corporation at an investment of Rs 20,000 crore to take up the work relating to transmission network development and power sales. The corporation will take care of development of evacuation facilities before the merchant power projects and ultra mega power projects are commissioned.

He also noted that the chief minister has given permission to produce 17,140 Mw, besides the Union government's sanction to start ultra mega schemes in Marakkanam and Cheyur near Chennai.

Tamil Nadu, with its vast coastline of 1,000 km, has three major ports, including government-controlled Chennai and Tuticorin ports, and a corporate port in Ennore. Twelve minor ports include Kattuppalli, Thiruchopuram, PY-3 oilfield, Tirukkadaiyur, Pamban, Rameswaram, Valinokkam, Punnakkayal, Manappad, Kanyakumari and Colachel.

Of the twelve minor ports, the ports at Kattuppalli, Thiruchopuram, Tirukkadaiyur, Punnakkayal and Manappad have been declared open for captive use by private entrepreneurs, where the development of entire infrastructural facilities are the responsibility of the company concerned.