Cargi Berth No. 8 :

Construction of eighth cargo berth, at an estimated cost of Rs.446 million has been sanctioned and the civil works are awarded to M/s Navauga Engineering Construction Ltd., Visakhapatnam on 7.2.2000. The works are expected to be completed by February, 2002. Upon completion, this berth will be able to handle vessels up to 290 LOA and 10.7 m draught.

Dredging Project :

Deepening the Tuticorin Port was a long felt need for the development of the Port. The Port undertook a massive dredging project funded by the Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund (OECF), Japan during the year 1999-2000. The dredging work was awarded to M/s.Jan De Nul, N.V., Belgium in December 1998. The contractor commenced the dredging work on 21.2.'99 with the largest ocean going Cutter Suction Dredger, "Leonardo Da Vinci". The dredging work was completed in November 1999 ahead of schedule. The draught of the approach channel was increased to 12.5 m and the basin to 11.9 m (except berth nos. 1,2,5 & 6) This has increased the parcel size of the vessels that can be handled at the Port to 40,000 tonnes.

Development of Container Terminal :

TPT awarded the licence to M/s PSA SICAL Terminals Ltd., on 15.7.1998 for the development of the seventh berth at Tuticorin Port as a container terminal and its operation and maintenance on B.O.T (Build, Operate and transfer) basis for 30 years. As per the agreement, this berth was developed by the BOT operator as a modern container terminal, equipping it with quay side and yard gantry cranes and other facilities. The commercial operation of the Tuticorin Container Terminal (TCT) started on 21.12.1999.

Shallow waterberth  :

A number of vessels having draughts up to 6m and having length ranging from 60m to 115m are being handled in the Port's main berths, leading to congestion in main berths. In order to relieve the congestion in the main berths, a shallow water berth at -- 7m depth was constructed at a cost of Rs.68.2 million. The commercial operation of this berth commenced from May 1999.