India’s Tuticorin Container Terminal Declared Green After 100% Electrification Of Its Equipment

VO Chidambaranar Port in Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, India, has declared its international container terminal a green terminal after electrifying all its operational equipment, according to an official statement issued on Thursday, October 22.

Union Shipping Secretary Vijay Kumar announced the designation at Tuticorin International Container Terminal (TICT) during a review of port projects this week.

The port has also added 13 electric internal transfer vehicles to support container handling. Other projects include pilot facilities for methanol bunkering and green hydrogen, wind energy facilities and an outer harbour project costing more than ₹15,000 crore.

VOC Port said TICT had been declared a green terminal after 100% of its operational equipment was electrified.

Kumar also flagged off 13 electric internal transfer vehicles (E-ITVs) on Tuesday. The vehicles are intended to support cleaner and more energy-efficient container handling operations.

VOC Port is one of India’s major ports and can handle 82 million tonnes of cargo a year, said its chairman, Sushanta Kumar Purohit.

The port also has a long trading history, with trade links dating back to 123 AD, according to Purohit.

During his visit, Kumar reviewed several green projects, including a pilot facility for methanol bunkering and refuelling, a green hydrogen project and wind energy facilities.

The review covered ongoing port projects worth ₹18,000 crore. The green maritime infrastructure projects were separately valued at more than ₹18,400 crore.

The source did not give completion dates for the methanol bunkering facility or the green hydrogen project.

The outer harbour is the largest project under development at the port, with an investment of more than ₹15,000 crore, Purohit said.

The project is expected to add 4 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of cargo-handling capacity. The port aims to use the additional capacity to help position Tamil Nadu as a major transhipment hub in southern India.

Port management is also working on facilities for its employees, including a golf course and a Kendriya Vidyalaya, Purohit said.

References: PTI, The Hindu BusinessLine