Kamarajar Port Reaches 18-Metre Draft After Dredging Phase VI
Why in the news
A Chennai-area port finished a deepening project in July 2026. The extra depth lets very large bulk ships call there.
Key facts
- Port: Kamarajar Port Ltd (KPL); project finished: Capital Dredging Phase VI.
- Achievement: an 18 m draft, enabling Cape-size vessels.
- Rank: second Indian major port with this depth, Visakhapatnam being first.
- Former name: Ennore Port Ltd.
About the port
| Aspect | Detail |
|---|---|
| Status | India’s first corporatised Major Port |
| Operating model | Landlord Port Model |
| Location | Coromandel Coast, about 24 km north of Chennai, Tamil Nadu |
| Major Port declaration | 12th Major Port, March 1999, under the Indian Ports Act, 1908 |
| Commercial operations | Began 1 February 2001 |
Exam angle
- First corporatised Major Port: Kamarajar (earlier Ennore).
- Operating model: Landlord Port Model.
- Other port at 18 m draft: Visakhapatnam.