Dozen Groups Including DP World, JSW Infra, Essar and Vedanta Bid for ₹517 Crore Berth No. 7 Container Terminal at VOC Port
V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA) has received bids from around a dozen groups, including DP World, JSW Infrastructure, Essar and Vedanta, for the redevelopment of Berth No. 7 into a dedicated container terminal at the port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu.
The ₹517 crore project is structured on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis for a concession period of 30 years. The upgraded facility is intended to handle large container vessels of up to 12,100 TEU capacity at a draft of 14.20 metres, with an expected annual handling capacity of around 4.2 lakh TEUs.
The scope of work includes strengthening the existing berth with new piles, dredging the berth pocket to a depth of minus 16.5 metres, and installing new fenders, bollards and utility infrastructure. The project also involves deployment of modern container handling equipment, including quay cranes, rubber-tyred gantry cranes, electric tractor trailers and reach stackers.
Berth No. 7, located in the inner harbour of VOC Port, was originally constructed in 1998 using blockwork, with a berth length of 370 metres and a dredge depth of 11.85 metres. It handled containers under a BOT operator from December 1999 until February 2025, after which the port authority moved to redevelop the facility under the current tender.
The project forms part of India's Sagarmala programme aimed at expanding port capacity to meet rising container cargo demand, and is separate from VOC Port's larger outer harbour container terminal project, which is being developed through a different tendering process.