Shri Ashwin C. Muthiah, Chairman of Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation (SPIC), visited VOC Port today and held strategic discussions with Shri Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chairperson of VOC Port Authority, to explore opportunities for enhancing trade and export infrastructure.
The talks primarily focused on establishing export facilities for Green Hydrogen, a sector in which SPIC has shown significant interest as part of its sustainable energy initiatives. Both sides also discussed plans to scale up SPIC’s cargo handling to 4.5 million tonnes annually in the near future.
During the meeting, Chairperson Purohit outlined a series of upcoming port development projects designed to boost capacity and efficiency. These include:
Dredging of the channel and inner harbour to accommodate vessels with a 15.50-metre draft.
Construction of Berth-10 for handling bulk cargo.
Conversion of Berth-7 into a modern multi-cargo facility to support diversified operations.
The visit also highlighted the mutual commitment between SPIC and VOC Port to strengthen Tamil Nadu’s role in India’s maritime trade and green energy exports. With growing global demand for clean energy solutions, the proposed Green Hydrogen export facility could position VOC Port as a key player in the international renewable energy supply chain.
Shri Rajesh Soundararajan, IAS, Deputy Chairperson of VOC Port, Shri E. Balu, Whole-Time Director of SPIC, and senior officials from both organisations were present during the deliberations.
VOC Port Authority and SPIC are expected to continue their collaboration to finalise technical, operational, and investment plans for these projects in the coming months.