Tuticorin (Tamil Nadu): V O Chidambaranar Port at southern Tamil Nadu is witnessing a remarkable surge in the handling of long windmill blades. Recently, the port handled a single export consignment of 24 windmill blades of length 77.50 metres, the longest of its kind handled through VOC Port so far.
The Vessel ‘M.V. PAC Alcor’, with a Length overall (LOA) of 199.9 metres, was berthed at the port on June 10 and the loading of the 77.50-metre long wind blades was carried out diligently, using Ship’s Hydraulic cranes and Harbour Mobile Cranes of the Port. The windmill blades were safely transported by NTC Logistics India Private Ltd., using specialized wind blade and tower transportation flatbed trucks all the way from Sriperumbudur to Tuticorin.
The long wind blades were stacked three high, conforming to the safety standards and the vessel sailed from the port on June 13 for the Port of Aransas, USA. The port authorities said that the stakeholders like shipping agencies and exporter were happy about the port's capability and efficiency in handling such over-dimensional cargo and assured their committed and continuous support for further shipments.
On June 9, the port had handled 84 windmill blades of length 74.90 metres in a single consignment. The Vestas Windmill blade manufacturer in India, TPA Industries, Chennai, shipped the above consignment through VOC Port. VOC Port is witnessing a notable surge in wind power components hitting its docks by handling 423 Windmill blades & frames during this financial year upto June 14, 2021.
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During the last financial year of 2020 - 21, the Port had handled 4462 windmill blades & towers recording manifold rise in the windblades shipping as the 1,667 wind blades and 648 wind blade towers were handled at the port in the financial year 2019 - 20. V O Chidambaranar Port at Tuticorin is becoming a premier gateway Port for the export of windmill blades, port authorities say.
Port Trust Chairman T K Ramachandran said that the size of windmill rotor blades is getting longer of late and utmost care is being taken for the shipment of windmill components. He appreciated the port officials and stakeholders for turning the port into a vibrant of hub to handle windmill blades. Port officials have listed certain factors favouring the port to handle the longest windmill blades.
Though they are manufactured as far as Chennai, the windmill blades are shipped to Tuticorin in Southern Tamil Nadu because the port has ample space for storing and handling such huge cargo. The roads leading to the port are not congested and trucks could manoeuvre with these 40 to 70 feet long windmill blades with broad roads leading to the port. Besides, the port operations are user friendly for the shippers to prefer the port, they added.
