The Tamil Nadu Maritime Board has announced plans to develop a new greenfield port near the existing old port at Cuddalore. The new port will significantly improve cargo handling capacity, enhancing trade and logistics in the region.

This project, which will be established with an initial investment of Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 2,000 crore, marks the state's second major port development in over a decade. The proposed Cuddalore port is designed to handle 13.5 million tonnes of cargo annually in its initial phase, with the capacity to scale up to 40 million tonne. It will cater to both international cargo traffic and coastal shipping, addressing growing demands in the region.

The first phase of development will see the creation of 10 berths, with plans to increase this to 25 in future expansions, including a seafront stretch of 3.6 km. The entire project is expected to cost an additional Rs 2,000 crore during the expansion. The first, the minor port at Kattupalli, was established about 30 km north of Chennai over ten years ago. The development plan has been divided to focus on a new port, which will be located two km away from the old port and span an area of 1,200 acres.

The port will be developed under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, with tenders expected to be floated by the Tamil Nadu Infrastructure Development Board in the next two months. Once the successful bidder is chosen, the port is expected to be completed in five years.