Tuticorin Port Trust

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Tuticorin Port was incorporated in 1974 as the tenth major port of the country. The port is situated about 540 Km South West of Chennai with Sri Lanka on the South-East direction and very close to the East-West International sea routes. Tuticorin port, developed as an artificial deep-sea harbour with 400 hectares of protected water area, has come up as one of the major centre for coastal shipping and serves to the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Kerala. Tuticorin port, which was the centre for maritime trade and pearl fishery for more than a century, had gone through the hands of Portuguese and Dutch before coming under the control of East India Company of Britain. The British company had developed the natural harbour port and connected it with the Railway. It was declared as a minor anchorage port in 1868. In the pre-independence era, the port had witnessed a sprouting trade by handling a wide range of cargo with the neighbouring countries as well as with other coastal ports of the country. With the changing scenario of maritime trade, the Union Government constructed a new harbour and the port had come up as the 10th Major Port on 11th July, 1974. In 1979, the erstwhile anchorage port / minor port was merged with the newly developed harbour to form an integrated port. The integrated Tuticorin Port presently comprises of two operational wings - 'Zone - A' representing the new Major Port while 'Zone - B' representing the old anchorage port. Future plan With the increasing use of containers in sea trade, Tuticorin Port, having the locational advantages, strives to become the container transhipment hub of South India and accordingly planned to develop the port infrastructure and other port facilities. Deepening of approach channel and harbour basin to accommodate 10.7 metres draught vessels, construction of cargo berth No.-7, augmentation of water supply facilities, construction of shallow water berth at 7.0 metres level are the major projects taken up by the port. The proposed 'Sethu Samudram Ship Canal Project', which envisages cutting a canal for passage of ships from Gulf of Mannar to Palk Straits, would connect the Tuticorin port to the other Indian ports on the East Coast directly. The project is likely to facilitate the development of Tuticorin as a regional hub for South Asia competing with Colombo Port.

Tuticorin has been a centre for maritime trade and pearl fishery for more than a century. The natural harbour with a rich hinterland, activated the development of the Port, initially with wooden piers and iron screw pile pier and connections to the railways. Tuticorin was declared as a minor anchorage port in 1868. Since then there have been various developments over the years. Tuticorin became the citadel of the freedom struggle in the early 20th century. In 1906, one of the greatest freedom fighters of India, Mr. V.O. Chidambaram Pillai, launched the first swadeshi ship "S.S. Gaelia" in British India. After Independence, the minor Port of Tuticorin witnessed a flourishing trade and handled a variety of cargo meant for the neighbouring countries of Sri Lanka, Maldives etc. and the coastal regions of India. To cope with the increasing trade through Tuticorin, the Government of India sanctioned the construction of an all-weather Port at Tuticorin. On July 11,1974, the newly constructed Tuticorin Port was declared as the 10th major port 1st April 1979, the erstwhile Tuticorin minor Port and the newly constructed Tuticorin major Port were merged and the Tuticorin Port Trust was constituted under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963.

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