The Tamil Nadu government is actively considering development of the Outer Harbour Project at VO Chidambaranar Port, which will add a combined capacity to handle four million TEUs of containers. It will transform the port into a transhipment hub. The project has an estimated cost of Rs.7,055 crore.
VOC Port Chairman (in charge) Bhimal Kumar Jha, further informed that berth number 9 at the port will soon be converted into a container terminal with the capacity to handle six lakh TEUs of containers and that the north cargo berth-III will be fully mechanised and dredged to a draft of 14.20 metres for handling bulk cargo. Bids have been invited for deploying four numbers of 120-tonne capacity harbour mobile cranes.
The 5 MW solar power plant and the 2 MW wind farm are nearing completion. When these projects are complete, VOC Port would become self-reliant in terms of both power production and consumption, he said. VOC Port has been identified by the government of India for the development of offshore wind power, a green hydrogen hub for production, storage, bunkering, and exports.
