V.O. Chidambaranar Port sets Container handling record
V.O. Chidambaranar Port has achieved a momentous landmark in container handling by surpassing the previous financial years container traffic of 5,59,727 TEUs by handling 5,61,586 TEUs 25 days ahead of the close of the current financial. This year, upto 6th March 2016, the Port has maintained an impressive growth at 9.36 percent as compared with the same period of last financial year.
It is notable that V.O. Chidambaranar Port offers the fastest transshipment time to Colombo among all Indian Ports. At present there are two Container Terminals in V.O. Chidambaranar Port. Berth No.7 with a capacity of 4.17 lakh TEUs is being operated by PSA SICAL. The Terminal commissioned under BOT basis on 21.12.1999 operates 8 services a week, of which 6 services are operated between Tuticorin and Colombo, 1 Coastal service and 1 international cum coastal service connecting Tuticorin Colombo Mundra Jebel Ali Mundra Pipavav Cochin and Tuticorin.
The Berth-8, operated by M/s. Dakshin Bharat Gateway Terminals Mumbai, commenced its partial operations from 11.05.2014 and full fledged operation with the capacity of 6 lakh TEUs is expected by December 2016 with commissioning of quay cranes. Presently, M/s. Dakshin Bharat Gateway Terminal offers 2 services a week between Tuticorin and Colombo, 1 coastal service and 1 International cum coastal service connecting Tuticorin Colombo Mundra Jebel Ali Mundra Pipavav Cochin and Tuticorin
Commodities like cotton yarn, handlooms, machinery, sea food, paper, granite, coir pith etc., are exported though containers to Europe, North America and almost all Asian Countries. Cotton, metal scrap, waste paper, cotton fibre, chemicals, metal and rubber products etc., are imported predominantly from Europe and East Asian Countries. One Inland Container Depot and 13 Container Freight Stations located in the vicinity of the Port ensure seamless flow of containers to and from the Port.
On 20th February this year, V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust also created a new record in handling copper concentrate. A quantity of 19,055 Metric Tonnes of copper concentrate in bulk was unloaded from the vessel MV. Dynasty Shanga at Berth No. IX by means of hoppers directly into trucks. M/s. Inter Ocean Shipping (India) P Ltd., are the ship agent and M/s. Villavarayar & Son are the stevedores for the vessel. This is the highest tonnage ever achieved in a single day in the Port, using hoppers, thus breaking the previous record of 17,105 Metric Tonnes of copper concentrate in bulk unloaded from the vessel MV. Navios Celestial on 23.05.2015.
