THOOTHUKUDI: VO Chidambaranar port had handled 3.94 million tonnes of cargo and 75,110 Twenty Equivalent Foot (TEU)s of containers, registering a 10.94% and 20.83% increase respectively compared to the 3.55 million tonnes and 62,158 TEUs handled during the corresponding period in 2024.
A press statement from the port said that, up to October in this current financial year 2025-26, it has handled 25.23 million tonnes of cargo, including 5,03,204 TEUs of containers, representing a 2.71 % growth in overall cargo traffic and an 8.44 % increase in container traffic, comparing to the 24.56 million tonnes of cargo and 4,64,060 TEUs of containers handled in the same period of the previous financial year.
The port’s strong performance is further highlighted by the rise in ship calls, with 1,064 vessels so far in October 2025 as against 1,004 vessels during the corresponding period of the previous year.
The Port has also enhanced its operational performance by improving the container vessels’ Average Turnaround Time (TRT) from 20.16 hours to 19.20 hours.
Accordingly, petroleum products recorded a growth of 11.16%, Edible Oil 8.57%, Fertilizer 34.18%, Fertilizer Raw Materials 8.32%, Rock Phosphate 9.85%, Salt an impressive 53%, and Construction Materials a remarkable 177.22%, reflecting the Port’s expanding trade volumes and diversified cargo profile.
VOC Chairperson Susanta Kumar Purohit, stated that the sustained growth across all sectors reflects the port’s strong performance, enhanced efficiency, and customer-centric approach, the statement said.