Tuticorin port open to students

Starting 12th January, the Tuticorin port was thrown open to students for six consecutive days to commemorate the commencement of 125th year of commercial operations at Chennai harbour.

On the inaugural day, 439 students and faculty members from two arts and science colleges, two polytechnics, and four schools from Tirunelveli, Madurai, Tuticorin and Virudhunagar districts visited the port. The students were taken out to the V.O.C. Wharf, Berth-8 and signal station — all situated inside the `green gate' of the port.

The visitors were explained the cargo handling techniques. Earlier, the Public Relations Officer of Tuticorin Port Trust, T. Arunachalam, through a promotional video footage, briefed the students on the achievements of the port since it became the tenth major port in the country on July 11, 1974.

The queries of students on the facilities available at the port were answered by the officials using a miniature representation of the port facilities on display at the administrative block.

The port officials explained the role of different types of berths and the importance of gadgets such as rubber-tyre gantry cranes, container quay cranes and towing tugs.

The students were also explained the features of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project undertaken by the Centre to facilitate ships to have a direct passage through Indian territorial waters instead of circumventing Sri Lanka.

Once the channel becomes fully functional, sailing time and distance would be saved tremendously, benefiting the export-import trade, the port officials told the visiting students.

Source: The Hindu