Tuticorin Port capacity to double in 2012

The capacity of Tuticorin Port will be doubled to handle 22 million tonnes additionally by March 2012, reported The Hindu.

Handling capacity of 22.81 million tonnes was recorded during March 2009. Tuticorin Port will increase its capacity to 55 million tonnes in the next two years.

The port's growth rate is around four per cent compared to the previous year and traffic is being handled at full capacity.

G.J. Rao, chairman of Tuticorin Port Trust, said the projects under execution were North Cargo Berth – I, North Cargo Berth – II and dredging of the port from 10.7m draught to 12.8 m draught. Besides this there are three other projects: construction of shallow water jetty, mechanisation of cargo berths, conversion of 8th berth into a container terminal and the concession agreements would be signed before March 31, 2011. These projects would add12 million tonnes to capacity.

The port is also in the process of issuing tenders for North Cargo Berth – III and North Cargo Berth – IV, which would add 14 million tonnes tocapacity. Thereafter, the Outer Harbour project would be launched, which would increase the capacity by another 40 million tonnes. By 2020, the port expects to have a capacity of 100 million tonnes.

With the road connectivity being improved from Tuticorin to Madurai and Tuticorin to Tirunelveli, road evacuation of the cargo would be an added advantage, Rao said.
(Source:www.cargonewsasia.com)