The port currently has nine operational berths with a cargo handling capacity of 58.44 million tonnes. File

| Photo Credit: The Hindu

In what could give a much-needed fillip to Chennai, a key manufacturing hub, and boost the State’s economy, Kamarajar Port is set to commence the construction of the second container terminal in 2027. Five top Indian and global players have already evinced interest to participate in the bids of the project estimated cost ₹4,300 crore.Kamarajar Port, commissioned 25 years ago, now stands as one of the major ports in the country and has a cargo handling capacity of 58.44 million tonnes with nine operational berths. In 2024-25, the port registered its highest cargo handling volume of 48.41 million metric tonnes (MMT).The port, which handles bulk coal, liquid cargo such as LPG, LNG, and Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants, automobile exports and imports, and container and multi-purpose cargo, planned a second container terminal under a Public-Private Partnership mode to meet future demand and invited Expressions of Interest a few months ago. At present, the port has one common-user container terminal whose handling capacity is 0.8 million TEUs and will increase to 1.4 million TEUs when the phase II expansion is completed.“The project bid has been sent to receive the approval of the Public Private Partnership Appraisal Committee (PPPAC) of the Union government. We are likely to get it in July and will float the tender in August. By February 2027, we will award the contract and six months after that, the construction will begin,” a source said.The first berth of the second container terminal will be ready by 2029. And two years after that, the second berth will be completed. “At present, the container terminal can handle a huge mother ship [a large cargo vessel] and when the second phase of expansion is completed, two such vessels can be handled at a time. When the two berths of the second terminal are built, four mother vessels can be handled at a time. The congestion will decrease further and the turnaround time of the ships will drastically come down,” the source said.The quay length of the second container terminal will be 900 metres and capacity is 2 million TEUs in two phases. A concession period of 40 years has been planned for the project. Published - June 26, 2026 12:16 am IST