Union shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday laid foundation stones for three projects worth ₹582 crore at the Kamarajar port at Ennore.

The foundation stones were laid for Capital Dredging Phase VI (₹520 crore) to dredge the port’s berth to 18 m draft from the present 16 m to attract such large size vessels; a 1 MLD Sea Water Reverse Osmosis Desalination Plant (₹37 crore) and an Integrated Command and Control Center (₹25 crore). He launched at a function as part of the port’s silver jubilee celebration.

The minister also launched a Coffee Table Book on the journey of the port, India’s 12th major port and the first corporatised major port. The port was originally conceived primarily to handle thermal coal to meet the requirement of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) and was endowed with large chunks of land (about 2,000 acres).

The scope was expanded taking into account subsequent developments such as the plan of Government of Tamil Nadu to set up a 1,880 MW LNG power project in association with a private consortium, a large petrochemical park and a naphtha cracker plant.

The first phase of the port main construction work included two berths for handling coal vessels up to 65,000/70000 deadweight tonne, dredging for the approach channel and harbour basin, onshore civil works, navigational aids, and two breakwaters & Kamarajar Port was commissioned by the then Prime Minister of India on February 1, 2001. Commercial operations commenced with Handymax geared vessels for unloading of thermal coal on 22 June 2001.

Today, the port has 9 berths with 57.44 Million tonnes handling capacity with the master plan proposing a total of 27 berths with 254.52 million tonnes by 2047.