Tamil Nadu Government has decided to scrap a previous tender by Marg and Chemplast Sanmar to develop the Cuddalore Port and go for a new multi-user port in the region.

According to a policy note on Highways and Minor Ports tabled in the Assembly today, with the Union Government approving the proposal for a Chemical and Petrochemical Investment Region in Cuddalore and Nagapattinam districts, and with over 30 large-scale industries in Cuddalore, sizeable world-class facilities are needed.

Greenfield ports

Existing captive ports will be upgraded and new multi-user greenfield ports will be created in the region.

The Marg and Chemplast consortium had bagged the 30-year concession agreement and the Tamil Nadu Maritime Board had put the proposal to the State Government.

In December 2012, the board decided to cancel the tender as it was more than two years old.

The industrial scenario had also changed. Bidding for the all-weather, deep water port at Nagapattinam will also be initiated soon, the policy note said.

Captive ports proposed

The Tamil Nadu Maritime Board is considering Sindya Power Generating Company’s report to declare the port limits in Sirkazhi Taluk.

Sindya and Empee Power have floated an special purpose vehicle, Sirkazhi Port Private Ltd, to develop a captive port as both companies are putting up power plants nearby.

Power plant

In-principle approval has been granted to NTPC, which is putting up a 4,000 MW power plant in Villupuram to establish a port to handle coal for the project.

IL&FS Tamil Nadu Power Company has obtained approvals for a port at Parangipettai to handle coal for its 4000 MW captive power project.

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