Major port in South Tamil Nadu posts best operating ratio among ports for the fiscal

V O Chidambaranar Port in Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu, one of the major ports in the Eastern Coast, has achieved significant milestones in the financial year 2019 - 20. Besides, outperforming the shipping ministry targets, the port has also achieved the best operating ratio among the major ports in the country.

Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu): V.O. Chidambaranar Port at Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu handled cargo traffic of 36.08 Million Tonnes against the previous year's achievement of 34.34 Million Tonnes, registering an increase of 5.05%. The port has also posted the operating ratio of 39.89 % which is one the best among the Indian Major Ports.

The Imports have accounted for 25.82 Million Tonnes (71.57 %) and Exports accounted for 10.25 Million Tonnes (28.41%) and Transhipment accounted for 0.01 Million Tonnes (0.02%). It is also a matter of pride that the Port has achieved the 36.00 Million Tonnes target set by the Ministry of Shipping, according to port officials.

Further, the Port has registered it’s highest ever record throughput of 8.03 Lakh Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of Containers in the year 2019-20 clocking a growth of 8.72% over previous year's container traffic of 7.39 Lakh TEUs.

When compared to the financial year 2018-19, cargoes that have shown considerable increase are Containerised cargo 8.72 .% (8.03 Lakh TEUs), Industrial Coal 29.54 % (60.12 Lakh Tonnes), cattle feed 225.40% (2.97 Lakh Tonnes), Sulphuric acid 79.44% (4.63 Lakh Tonnes) and Rock Phosphate 32.84 % (5.44 Lakh Tonnes).

In the year 2019-20, there were 1447 ship calls in the port, increase by 5.62% from the 1370 ship calls during the financial year 2018-19.

At the financial performance too, the port has fared better. The operating income of the port amounted to Rs 625.08 crores during 2019-20 as against Rs 519.50 Crores during the previous year and the operating surplus Rs 375.75 crores as against Rs 252.34 crores in 2018-19.

The net surplus after tax was Rs 161.05 crores as against Rs 45.13 crores. The operating ratio of 39.89 % is one the best among the Indian Major Ports.

During this financial year, Port has initiated proposals for two Public-Private Partnership projects, Conversion of 9th berth as container terminal at an estimated cost of Rs.438.61 crores and Mechanisation of NCB-III for handling dry bulk cargo at an estimated cost of Rs.269.06 crores.

Works are underway at a cost of Rs.41.55 Crores for the project ‘Widening the Existing Korampallam surplus course bridge and Rail Over Bridge including widening of the existing road’. Port is also in the process of installing ‘Drive through Container scanner’ at a cost of Rs 46.25 crores.

Port is also in the process of revamping the fixed fire fighting system at a cost of Rs 17.49 crores and commissioning 5 MLD capacity desalination plant at an estimated cost of Rs.143 crores.

As a trendsetter among Major Ports of the country in adopting an integrated Green Energy Port Model, the Port has issued orders for installation of 140 KW Rooftop solar power plant and 5 MW ground-based solar power plant.

Port has also identified 702 acres of land for setting up of Port-based industries (Tuticorin - SPEEDZ). In Phase-I, tenders were invited for allotment of 275 acres of land of which 2 bidders have expressed interest for setting up of edible oil refineries.

Port Trust Chairman T K Ramachandran remarked that "Our success is based on our enterprising Port users, effective and committed stakeholders and the hardworking workforce of the Port. At this instance, I also wish to thank our clients for the trust they place in us.”