New berth for Tuticorin port

Union Minister for Shipping, Road Transport & Highways T.R. Baalu has approved the construction of a new berth at North breakwater at the Tuticorin port.

North Cargo Berth 1 will cost Rs.40 crore. It will add a capacity of 2.93 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) to the port and help ease congestion in handling bulk/dusty cargoes in the existing berths.

Since it will enable the port to handle coal vessels of 65,000 to 75,000 dead weight tonnage (DWT) with a maximum draft of 12.8 metres,

Mr. Baalu has expressed the hope that the new berth will help meet the growing demand for handling bulk cargo in the coming years.

The Minister said the new birth will be especially useful for cargo meant for the proposed thermal power plant at Tuticorin to be set up by the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board and M/s Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd.

Presently, the Tuticorin port boasts of seven cargo berths, one container terminal, one oil jetty, two coal jetties and two shallow draft berths.