VOC Port’s Rs 70 Billion Harbour Project Fails Again

12 Jun 2025 CW Team

The VOC Port Authority’s Rs 70.56 billion outer harbour project in Thoothukudi has once again failed to attract bidders, prompting the cancellation of its tender for the second time. Sources confirm the tender has now been withdrawn, though it may be restructured and reissued at a later stage.

Initially retendered in December 2024, the project had already been shelved once due to insufficient response — with only two applicants, Vedanta and Premier Science and Technology, both of whom were disqualified. Despite relaxing eligibility conditions in the second round to encourage broader participation, the project failed to garner any fresh interest.

The plan was to implement the project on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer (DBFOT) basis, developing an outer harbour with a total handling capacity of 4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) per annum, to be delivered in two stages.

Stage one, with an estimated cost of Rs 44.94 billion, included the development of Container Terminal 1 (Berths I and II), alongside dredging, breakwater construction, and common facilities. Stage two, costing Rs 25.61 billion, aimed to establish Container Terminal 2 (Berths III and IV), also with a capacity of 2 million TEUs.

With container vessels growing significantly in size over recent years — now reaching over 400 metres in length and carrying nearly 22,000 TEUs — the existing VOC Port infrastructure, which can accommodate ships half that size, is no longer sufficient.

The detailed project report highlights that merely modernising the inner harbour and upgrading existing berths will not allow the port to handle next-generation mega vessels. The development of an outer harbour remains critical to meeting long-term cargo growth and global shipping trends.

Infrastructure Transport

01 Sep 2025

Indian Railways Marks New Milestone with 4.5 km Long ‘Rudrastra’ Trial

Indian Railways has successfully conducted the trial run of Asia’s longest freight train, named ‘Rudrastra’, achieving a new milestone in cargo transportation, as per news reports. The 4.5 km-long train began its trial from Ganjkhwaja railway station in Chandauli, Uttar Pradesh, and travelled to Garhwa in Jharkhand. Covering a distance of 209 km in 5 hours and 10 minutes, it maintained an average speed of 40.5 km per hour. The train was formed by combining three long-haul racks, with ..

UltraTech Launches India’s First On-Site Hybrid RTC Renewable Energy Project

UltraTech Cement has operationalised a 7.5 MW round-the-clock (RTC) hybrid renewable energy project at its Sewagram Cement Works in Gujarat. The first-of-its-kind solution combines bifacial solar modules with trackers, wind energy and battery storage, co-located on-site, to ensure uninterrupted power for cement manufacturing without grid reliance. The project was executed in collaboration with clean energy solutions provider Gentari. Installed as a behind-the-meter system, it is the country..

Patna Metro Trials Successful, Red Line Priority Corridor to Launch This Month

Patna is set to roll out its first metro rail service later this month, with successful trial runs conducted on the Red Line priority corridor, the Patna Metro Rail Corporation announced.On 7 September, a metro train completed a test run between the Patna depot and Bhootnath station. Officials said the trials involved rigorous checks of rolling stock fitness, overhead electrification (OHE), and track alignment and stability to ensure operational safety and performance.The corridor from the New Pataliputra Bus Terminal to Bhoothnath has been designated as the priority stretch and will be the fi..