V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port), one of India’s most vibrant ports in the southern region, continues to demonstrate strong and consistent growth in cargo handling during the current financial year.
Up to January 2026, VOC Port handled 35.97 million tonnes (MT) of cargo, registering a 6% growth over the 33.94 MT handled during the corresponding period of the previous financial year. This translates to an additional handling of over 2.00 million tonnes, underscoring the Port’s robust operational performance.
Adding to this achievement, the Port recorded a historic milestone in January 2026 by handling 4.00 million tonnes of cargo in a single month, surpassing the previous best of 3.95 million tonnes achieved in March 2024.
The Port also witnessed strong growth in container traffic. During FY 2025–26 (up to January 2026), the two container terminals handled 7,16,105 TEUs, marking a 9.40% increase compared to 6,54,590 TEUs handled during the corresponding period last year.
Significant growth was recorded across major cargo commodities during the current financial year up to January 2026. Industrial Coal grew by 12.78%, Construction Materials by an impressive 92.10%, Rock Phosphate by 12.65%, Fertilizers by 40.12%, Fertilizer Raw Materials by 11.51%, and Edible Oil by 17.52%, reflecting the Port’s expanding trade volumes and diversified cargo portfolio.
These remarkable performances have been further strengthened by strategic infrastructure enhancements, including the induction of additional harbour mobile cranes, operationalisation of North Cargo Berth–III, commissioning of the fourth high-power tug, and expansion of cargo storage facilities. These initiatives have significantly improved cargo handling efficiency and reduced ship turnaround time.
Commenting on the achievement, Shri Susanta Kumar Purohit, IRSEE, Chairperson, VOC Port Authority, stated that the record performance reflects the Port’s strong operational efficiency and unwavering commitment to serving stakeholders. He emphasized that the Port will continue to focus on infrastructure development, ease of doing business, digitalisation, and green initiatives to further strengthen its role as a key driver of maritime trade and economic growth in the region.