V.O. Chidambaranar Port has achieved a major technological milestone by becoming the first port in India to launch a Digital Twin platform for port management, marking a significant step toward smart and technology-driven maritime operations.
The platform was inaugurated on February 23, 2026 by Sarbananda Sonowal, signalling the port’s transition toward intelligent and data-driven maritime management.
The Digital Twin platform creates a real-time virtual replica of the port’s infrastructure, operational assets, and maritime ecosystem, enabling enhanced operational visibility, predictive analytics, and improved decision-making. The system integrates advanced technologies such as IoT sensors, GPS tracking, LiDAR mapping, drone imaging, and CCTV networks to mirror real-time port conditions and support seamless coordination across departments.
Through the platform, port authorities can monitor berth occupancy, vessel movements, crane utilisation, and yard capacity in real time. It also supports AI-driven predictive maintenance of cargo-handling equipment, helping reduce downtime and improve operational reliability. In addition, the system enables intelligent berth and traffic scheduling, which is expected to reduce congestion and vessel waiting times.
The Digital Twin platform also incorporates energy consumption and emissions tracking, supporting data-driven sustainability management. With its scenario-simulation capabilities, operators can conduct “what-if” modelling to prepare for peak demand situations or operational disruptions.
According to the port authority, the initiative could reduce vessel turnaround time by up to 25 percent, improve equipment availability, strengthen operational safety through predictive alerts, and optimise energy utilisation to lower carbon emissions. The project is being implemented in phases and is expected to strengthen operational resilience while enabling more efficient and sustainable port operations.
The initiative aligns with the Government of India’s maritime development roadmap under Maritime India Vision 2030 and Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, championed by Narendra Modi, which emphasise digitalisation and technological advancement to improve efficiency, transparency, and global competitiveness of Indian ports.
Commenting on the development, Susanta Kumar Purohit, Chairperson of the port authority, said the implementation of the Digital Twin platform marks a major step in the port’s modernisation journey. By leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence, IoT, and real-time analytics, the initiative is expected to enhance operational efficiency, improve vessel turnaround time, and strengthen safety and sustainability while aligning the port with global smart-port standards.
