Port Profile

Chennai Port, the third oldest port among the 12 major ports, is an emerging hub port in the East Coast of
India. This gateway port for all cargo has completed 134 years of glorious service to the nations maritime
trade.
Maritime trade started way back in 1639 on the sea shore Chennai. It was an open road -stead and exposed
sandy coast till 1815. The initial piers were built in 1861, but the storms of 1868 and 1872 made them
inoperative. So an artificial harbour was built and the operations were started in 1881 and 1872 made them
inoperative. So an artificial harbour was built and the operations were started in 1881. The cargo
operations were carried out on the northern pier, located on the northeastern side of Fort St. George in
Chennai. In the first couple of years the port registered traffic of 3 lakh tonnes of cargo handling 600 ships.
Being an artificial harbour, the port was vulnerable to the cyclones, accretion of sand inside the basin due
to underwater currents, which reduced the draft. Sir Francis Spring a visionary skillfully drew a long-term
plan to charter the course of the port in a scientific manner, overcoming both man-made and natural
challenges. The shifting of the entrance of the port from eastern side to the North Eastern side protected
the port to a large extent from the natural vulnerabilities. By the end of 1920 the port was equipped with a
dock consisting of four berths in the West Quays, one each in the East & South Quay along with the transit
sheds, warehouses and a marshalling yard to facilitate the transfer of cargo from land to sea and vice
versa. Additional berths were added with a berth at South Quay and another between WQ2 & WQ3 in the
forties.
Indias Independence saw the port gathering development, momentum. The topography of the Port
changed in 1964 when the Jawahar dock with capacity to berth 6 vessels to handle Dry Bulk cargoes such
as Coal, Iron ore, Fertilizer and non hazardous liquid cargoes was carved out on the southern side.
In tune with the international maritime developments, the port developed the Outer Harbour, named
Bharathi Dock for handling Petroleum in 1972 and for mechanized handling of Iron Ore in 1974. The Iron ore
terminal is equipped with Mechanized ore handling plant, one of the three such facilities in the country,
with a capacity of handling 8 million tonnes. The Chennai ports share of Iron ore export from India is 12%.
However, at present due to Hon'ble High Court's order handling of Ore is stopped. The dedicated facility for
oil supports the expansion of the CPCL's oil refinery in the hinterland. This oil terminal is capable of
handling Suezmax vessels.
In 1983, the port heralded the countrys first dedicated container terminal facility commissioned by the
then Prime Minister Smt.Indira Gandhi on 18th December 1983. The Port privatized this terminal and is
operated by Chennai Container Terminal Private Limited. The port is ranked in the top 100 container ports
in the world. Witnessing a phenomenal growth in container handling year after in 2009 commenced the
Second Container Terminal with a capacity to handle 1.5 M TEU's to meet the increasing demand.

12 m to 16.5 m has become a hub

port for Containers, Cars and Project Cargo in the East Coast
The Port now with three docks, 24 berths and draft ranging

Chennai Port is one among major ports having Terminal Shunting Yard and running their own Railway
operations inside the harbour. The port is having railway lines running up to 41 Kms, 8 sidings to handle
wide range of cargo like Granite, Food grains, Dry Bulk, etc. For handling containers seperate sidings are
available.
The Port has handled 52.54 Million Tonnes of cargo volume for 2014-15 vis-a-vis 51.10 Million Tonnes of
Cargo in 2013-14. Container Volume increased to 1551549 TEU's against 1467855 TEU's in 2013-14.
Physical performance parameters like Pre-Berthing Detention, Turn Around Time and Ship Berth day Output
continued to improve.

The existing Cruise Terminal is being upgraded to International Standards as a part of Cruise Shipping
Policy. The induction of Mobile Harbour Cranes 100T - 2 Nos is expected to improve the productivity of

Cargo Handling of the Port.

Aggressive marketing initiatives are being undertaken to improve the Port Trade, Logistics and also to
attract new Cargoes.

Mission & Vision

Mission
Achieve excellence in Port operations with State-of-the-Art technologies.
Enhance competence and enthuse workforce to maximize customer satisfaction.
Anticipate and adapt to the changing global scenario.
Act as a catalyst for sustained development of the Region.

Vision
To be recognized as a futuristic Port with foresight.

Quality Policy
Provide efficient, prompt, safe and timely services at optimum cost
Ensure quick turn round of vessels by providing facilities for efficient handling of cargo
Maintain total transparency in all our transaction.
Continually improve our services to meet the expectations of the port users, employees and the society

Port History

The little fishing village called

Chenna
Patnam,
which
was
founded
in
1639,
became
prominent during the early part of
the 18th Century when the East
India Company was active on the
East Coast. In the absence of the
Harbour, the Company ships were
anchored about quarter mile
offshore and the cargo to and from
the ships were transported through
small lighters called Masula boats.
As the loss of cargo while
transporting through Masula boats
was high, it was proposed to build
a pier to berth larger crafts and an
Iron screw pile pier was built in
1861 to a length of 1,100 ft.,

perpendicular to the shore during

November 1881, due to violent
cyclone over half a mile of
breakwater was breached and
equipments and human lives lost.
Though there was a demand for
relocating
the
entrance,
the
restoration was resumed in 1885.
Port of Chennai (Madras then!)
until the year 1875, was simply an
open roadstead on open sandy
coast swept by storms and
occasional monsoons.
Sir

Francis

Spring,

the

then

Chairman of Madras Port Trust in

1904 created a new North-Eastern
Entrance after closing the original
Eastern Entrance to control the
siltation of the channel in front of
the basin. Subsequently Quays
were constructed at different
periods (i.e) South Quay-I in 1913,
the five West Quay berths in 1916
to 1920, North Quay in 1931 and
South Quay II in 1936 in the Inner
Harbour
which
was
later,
christened as Dr. Ambedkar Dock.
The official inauguration of the wet
dock was done on 6th November
1964 by Shri. Lal Bahadur Shastri,
the then Prime Minister of India.
The dock was christened Jawahar
Dock in memory of Shri. Jawaharlal
Nehru, Indias first Prime Minister.
The Bharathi Dock was originally
constructed as an outer Harbour to
handle vessels upto (-)16.2 M
draft. An Oil jetty to handle Crude
Oil imported by the Manali Oil
Refinery
(presently
Chennai
Petroleum Corporation Ltd) was
constructed initially during the
year 1970. An Iron Ore berth was
constructed in the same dock in
1974 for exporting Iron Ore to
Japan and other Far East countries.
Subsequently one more oil jetty
was constructed during the year
1985 to meet the additional
demand for crude/products
In 1970s the Madras Port Trust
started handling containers in
Inner Harbour and as the container
traffic was increasing, a Container

Terminal of 380 M length was

constructed at Bharathi Dock
during the year 1983 as a first fullfledged Container Hub of the
Country with Container Storage
Yard of 51,000 sq.m and a
Container Freight Station of 6000
sq.m. area. The terminal was
provided with two shore cranes
and other shore facilities required
for Container Terminal.
Subsequently

the

terminal

was

further extended by 220 M during

the year 1991 with additional two
shore cranes and other matching
infrastructural facilities. As the
container traffic was constantly
increasing the terminal was further
extended by 285 M, during July
2002. This Container Terminal of
885 M total berth length with
backup area was privatized under
concessional agreement with M/s.
Chennai Container Terminal Private
Ltd., on BOT basis for 30 years
from November 2001.
Consequent to the renaming of the
city of Madras as Chennai with
effect from 30.9.1996, the Madras
Port Trust has been renamed as
Chennai Port Trust.
With

the

number

of

car

manufacturing companies located

around Chennai, potential exists
for large-scale car exports through
pure car carriers (PCC) shipment.
In fact shippers have already
started from July, 2000 onwards.

Facilities at Port

Oil Terminals (BD1 & BD3)

First Oil berth at Bharathi Dock-I commissioned in 1972 can

handle tankers up to 100,000 DWT

Second Oil Berth at Bharathi Dock-III commissioned in 1986

can handle tankers up to 140,000 DWT

Maximum LOA of Tankers Berthed at BD - I & BD - III - 280.4m

(920 ft).

Minimum LOA of the ship so far Berthed at BD - I - 108.15m.

Minimum LOA of the ships berthed at BD - III - 149M. or 488 ft.

Capacity - 13 Million Tonnes Per Annum

Installed with 5 Marine Loading Arms at BD - I and 6 Marine

Loading Arms at BD - III. Berths laid with 762 mm (30") dia
pipelines for conveying Crude, 500 mm (20") dia pipeline for
conveying White Oil Product and 350 mm (14") dia pipelines for
conveying Furnace Oil.

Separate Pipelines for Crude, Furnace Oil, White Oil Products,

Service Lines for LDO Bunker, Furnace Oil Bunker and Lubricant

The facilities include pumping at the rate of 3000 Tonnes per

Provision of Oil reception facilities in accordance with MARPOL

convention for receiving oily ballast, sludge and slop.

Deballasting, Tower Monitor, Fire Hydrant and Fresh Water

Oil Bunker

hour for Crude oil and 1000 Tonnes per hour for Petroleum
Products.

Both the jetties are equipped with fire monitors

There is a separate fire fighting pump house with diesel and
electrically driven pumps to supply fire hydrant and tower
monitors.

Iron ORE Terminal (BD2 )

Mechanised Ore handling Plant commissioned in 1977 at

Bharathi Dock-II

Can handle Ore carriers of maximum size 1,45,000 DWT and

LOA of 280.4 metres

Capacity - 8 Million Tonnes Per Annum

Loading rate - 6000 Tonnes per hour

Capable of receiving, stockpiling, reclaiming, weighing,

sampling and ship loading

Ore handling facilities consists of two rotary wagon tipplers, ten

lines of conveyors, two rail-mounted stackers, two rail-mounted
bucket-wheel reclaimers and two rail-mounted shiploaders.

Equipped with automatic belt weigher, sampling facilities, self-

Separate receiving line and shipping line, which can also

Availability of two control rooms for the automatic operation of

Well connected rail lines

Back-up of 33 KV receiving sub-station

Ore Stock Yard - Capacity - 6.4 Lakh tonnes

Rotary Wagon Tippler can handle 1200 MT/hr at the rate of 20

Receiving Conveyors (4 Nos.) can handle 1500 MT/hr/stream of

Shipping Conveyors (6 Nos.) can handle 4000 MT/hr/stream of

Rated capacity of Stackers - 1500 MT/hr each

Rated capacity of the Reclaimer - 3000 MT/hr each

Rated capacity of Shiploaders - 3000 MT/hr each

contained maintenance workshop and a service station

function as interconnected system

various equipment and conveyors.

wagons per hour

two conveyors.

three conveyors.

Container Terminal (CTB 1, CTB 2, CTB 3, CTB 4 ) CCTPL (Terminal I) ---- Quay Length - 885m, Depth - 13.4m, Ground Slots - 3942,
Yard Capacity - 19710, Reefer Plugs - 240, Quay Cranes - 7, RTG's 24, ICD Trains - Daily.
Container Terminal - 2 (M/s Chennai International Terminal Pvt.Ltd)
Berths - SCB1, SCB2, SCB3 CITPL (Terminal - II) ---- Quay Length 832m, Depth - 15.5m, Ground Slots - 5424, Yard Capacity - 27120,
Reefer Plugs - 120, Quay Cranes - 3, RTG's - 10, ICD Trains - Daily.

General Cargo Terminal

BERTH

NO. OF CRANES

CAPACITY

WEST QUAY1

15 T

WEST QUAY2

15 T

CENTER BERTH

15 T

WEST QUAY 3

15 T

WEST QUAY 4

10 T

SOUTH QUAY 1

10 T-1No. 40 T-1 No

SOUTH QUAY 2

--

--

SOUTH QUAY 3

--

--

JAWAHAR DOCK 1

10 T

JAWAHAR DOCK 3

15 T

JAWAHAR DOCK 5
(PRIVATISED BERTH)

BRS

BRS

JAWAHAR DOCK 4 & 6

--

--

Other Facilities
CARGO HANDLING EQUIPMENT
SL.NO.

EQUIPMENT

NUMBERS

CAPACITY

FLOATING CRANE

150 TONS

MOBILE CRANE

10 TONS.

LOW CAPACITY
DIESEL FORK-LIFT

10

3 TONS

TRUCK
4

HIGH CAPACITY

10

DIESEL FORK-LIFT
TRUCK
5

PAYLOADER

DIESEL ELECTRIC
LOCOMOTIVE

10 TONS - 3 Nos
15 TONS - 5 Nos.
25 TONS - 2 Nos.

3 TONS

14

Coal Conveyor (JD IV and JD VI)

Milestones

Semi mechanized closed conveyor system for coal handling

Commissioned on November 2009.

Capacity - 15 million MT/annum

Handling rated capacity - 1500 MT/Hr/stream

Coal discharged into the Hoppers located at JD IV and JD VI is

comprises of two streams.

conveyed to coal plots through conveyors/Tripper cars - Equipped

with Belt Weigher.

Highlights

Chennai Port is a ISPS

Compliant Port
Chennai Port Trust
awarded with
Certification of ISO 14001
: 2004
24 deep drafted berths
All weather port
Round the clock
operations
Handling multiple cargo,
Third position among all
Major Ports
Best efficiency indicators
Pre berthing
detention of 0.98
Hrs (2009-10)
Average
turnover 2.01
Days (2009-10)
Berthing on
arrival
Passenger terminal of
international standard
First of its kind in Indian
Ports, Chennai Port has
established the Marine
Pollution Management to
ensure Protection for
Marine life
EDI connectivity with
Customs, Bank, Online
Port users Portal
established and various
port activities for the
effective use of
information technology
under process.
Excellent Rail
Connectivity
Excellent Road
Connectivity

Organizational Structure

Bo

Liason Officer representing SC/ST/OBC

ard
of

Engineering Department

Tru
ste

Marine Department

es
20

Finance Department

1420

Traffic Department

16

Medical Department

Ch
air
ma
n's
Offi
ce
Vig
ilan
ce
De
par
tm
ent
Ge
ner
al
Ad
mi
nist
rati
on
De
par
tm
ent
Me
ch
ani
cal
An
d
Ele
ctri
cal
En
gin
eer
ing
De
par
tm
ent
Ma
teri
als
Ma
na
ge

me
nt
Div
isio
n(
M&
EE
)

Office of the Chairman/Dy. Chairman of Chennai Port Trust

Telephone Details
Office
Name& Designation

Shri. Cyril C. George

Chairman i/c

Email Address

cptchpt@vsnl.com

Dock

Exchang
Residenc
e
Extt
e
Number
(Interna
n
l)
2536108
6,

2500

3222

0,
2501
2536220

3246

2536220
1
2536172

Shri. Cyril C. George

Deputy Chairman

dycpt@chennaiport.g
ov.in

1
Shri.V.K.Mahendra Babu
P.S to Chairman

2536220
2500
1

3222

Shri.C.L.Dhanasekaran,
P.A to Chairman

2536220
2500
1

3222

Shri..Ramesh
P.A to Dy. Chairman

2536220
2501
1

3246

Smt.M. S. Vijaya
P.A to Dy. Chairman

2536220
2501
1

3246

Vigilance Department
Telephone Details
Office
Name& Designation

Number

Shri. T.Kandasamy, IPS

Chief Vigilance Officer

Shri. G.Edison,
Deputy Chief Vigilance
Officer

Dock
Exchang

Email Address

cvo@chennaiport.gov.i
n

dycvo@chennaiport.go
v.in

Extt
n

2539225
9,
2644

e
(Interna
l)

3944

25362201
25384213
,
2515
25362201

3364

Residenc
e

Commercial
Advantages

Chennai Port is working round -the-clock, 7 days a week, to facilitate more export & import through Port
of Chennai.
The Port also conducts PORT USERS MEETING periodically to ensure customer satisfaction by maintaining
effective service quality to augment exports.
Private equipment are allowed in certain Operational areas to augment rate of loading/discharging of dry
bulk cargoes.
50% F.C. VAIGAI Heavy Lifting Cranage Charges need not be paid upto 15 tons weight, if shipped by the
vessels own cranes
A rebate of 10% in wharfage on the quantity handled in excess of 10% over and above the previous year's
throughput by an individual importer/exporter subject to a minimum handling of 50,000 MT per annum in
the pervious year.
Comprehensive stevedoring levy of 192% of actual wages for all types of cargoes
C & F Levy for bulk cargoes, ore & timeber logs reduced to 3.75/MT
C & F Levy will be collected through Import Applicaton when actual deployment of labour for C & F
operations are there
The TERMINAL HANDLING CHARGES at Chennai Ports Container Terminal are quite competitive even
when compared to the Terminal Handling Charges collected at the Regional Ports viz. COLOMBO and
SINGAPORE.
For containers consigned to and from INLAND CONTAINER DEPOTS, the Port allows 30 free days including
SUNDAYS and Ports HOLIDAYS and for ICD, NEW DELHI it is free upto the date of loading on flats.
TRANSHIPMENT CONTAINERS are allowed 30 free days.

Facilities For Exporters

This has significant bearing on the Ports performance making this port a trendsetter in export
performance envisaging the following advantage for Port Users:
The concept of single window clearance is adopted by Chennai Port and an Export Documentation Centre
housing Customs, Chennai Clearing and Forwarding, Dock Labour Board, etc. is located inside the port
complex;
The palletised cargo is given 10% rebate on wharfage and the weight of the pallet is not taken into
account for the purpose of calculating wharfage;
30 days free day time is allowed for aggregating the export cargo on the wharf before the arrival of the
vessel;
Open space is made available in transit area for export cargo such as barytes, quartz, on rental basis
Demurrage for export goods lying in transit shed beyond 30 days is charged on minimum flat rate basis of
Rs.3 per wharfage unit per day or part thereof

100% waiver of heavy lift charges on Export of Raw Granite Blocks

Preferential allotment of space for storage of export cargo
For export of motor cars, jeeps and vans using the Ro-Ro system an export promotional wharfage rate on
ad valorem basis of only 0.3% of FOB value is charged
The Chennai Port offers Priority berthing facilities for Export Oriented vessels. In addition, a scheme called
PRIORITY BERTH RESERVATION SCHEME approved by Government for berthing vessels on arrival on
payment of BERTH RESERVATION FEE is being made popular among the trade.
A Senior Traffic Officer has been re-designated as Export Promotion Cell Officer to co-ordinate with the
HIGH POWER COMMITTEE constituted for the redressal of grievances faced by the Exporters.
With the permission of the Commissioner of Customs there are 11 Container Freight Stations functioning
outside the port limit but within the City limit to cater to the total stuffing requirement of export cargoes
in containers. The Customs have also permitted some categories of cargoes to be HOUSE STUFFED.
Almost 100% of the Export FCL containers are stuffed outside the Port and loaded containers are brought
into the terminal for shipment.
Only Less than Container Load (LCL) export cargoes are stuffed inside the Port for which a very modern
EXPORT CONTAINER FREIGHT STATION, is functioning within the port where ON WHEEL LOADING facilities
are available.
Direct Shipment of Granite Blocks is permitted.
The Export cargo shut out by the ship by act of God such as Cyclone, grounding of vessels, etc. are
allowed TWO WORKING DAYS AS ADDITIONAL FREE DAYS next to the date of completion of taking in of
export by the vessel.
No DEMURRAGE CHARGES on the cargo stuffed in the container for export and lying in the container
terminal. Only storage charges are collected.
Priority berthing is given for export vessels (one vessel at a time)
Demurrage for export goods lying in transit shed beyond 30 days is charged on minimum flat rate basis of
3.60 per wharfage unit per da or part thereof
Heavy lift charges on export of Raw Granite Blocks is waived
Preferential allotment of space for storage of export cargo
To attract agricultural products, Port has introduced a reduced Tariff of Rs. 7.50/- per tonne for the Export
of bagged Sugar, Wheat and Rice
When direct delivery/direct loading is allowed, no C & F charges will be applicable. This gives substantial
reduction in charges for Granite Blocks, Barytes in Bags, Steel etc., Wherever directly loaded/delivered
To facilitate export of iron ore through Chennai Port, Iron Ore Pellets & Lumps are being allowed to be
exported through Jawahar Dock.

Facilities for Importers

Import Counters for filing Import Applications are kept open on all Board Holidays except on Boards

Closed Holidays and Sundays.

CRANAGE on Heavy Lift Packages has been reduced.
STORAGE CHARGES on abandoned FCL containers is restricted upto 2 months.
In case the Trust is unable to supply Mechanical Equipment, use of private equipment is permitted.
Weighment is not at all required for DRY BULK CARGOES
When the port is unable to trace the package at the time of delivery owing to congestion or wrong sorting
or incorrect tally, ADDITIONAL FREE DAYS are allowed from the date of receipt of enquiry till the package
are traced out and intimated.