Longest container ship calls at Tuticorin Port

Madurai: Tuticorin port on Wednesday, earned the distinction of handling the biggest container vessel ever to call at any port in the South. The first vessel M.V. `NORASIA ATRIA', 265 m long, called at the port for unloading 254 TEUs and loading 391 TEUs. It has a capacity to carry 4,298 TEUs with 13 rows across the ship.

The port authorities have been taking various initiatives to enhance the volume of cargo and containers handled through the port that include various concessions/relaxations and facilities for deployment of mainline container vessels for direct shipment of containers to destinations without transhipment in foreign ports.

Taking advantage of the thrust given by the port, two direct mainline services viz., INDAMEX to the US and Euro Galax were introduced in 2001 and 2003, respectively. The Euro Galax service operated up to Europe with seven vessels of 1,800 TEUs capacity.

Following heavy demand for this service, the size of the vessels deployed was increased to 2,800 TEUs capacity from January 2004. The service was upgraded and re-designated as 'Round The World (RTW)' service with the port rotation taking 90 days for the vessel to complete one circle. A consortium consisting of CSAV Norasia and Gold Star Lines has been operating the service currently.

Until now, with the existing infrastructure at Tuticorin, vessels up to a length of 245 m have been berthed. However, in line with the initiative to upgrade the services, the authorities have given permission to berth vessels of more than 245-m length subject to certain restrictions.

Taking advantage of this latest concession announced by the port, CSAV Norasia along with Gold Star Lines have further upgraded the service by deploying vessels of more than 4,000 TEUs capacity and introduced upgraded `RTW' vessels of 265-m length to facilitate direct shipment by catering to the requirement of the entire southern region and thereby achieving cost reduction and ensuring quick transit of containers. CSAV Norasia has deployed 10 vessels and Gold Star has deployed 3 vessels in the service.

The advantages of deploying bigger vessels are that the existing restriction on booking can be eliminated and the transhipment at Colombo Port can be reduced. These vessels would call at Tuticorin Port on every Wednesday at 08:00 hrs and sail at 23:00 hrs.

According to the Tuticorin Port Trust Chairman, Mr N.K. Raghupathy, the port is known for the unmatched high level of productivity in handling of containers compared to any other port in India.