Feasibility studies on deepening Pondicherry Port to accommodate larger vessels explored

Abstract

A Union territory in India, Pondicherry was a major trading port with the Chinese during the Chola era, having been active since 100 B.C. About 150 km south of Chennai, it was an open roadstead anchorage port. Until the late 1980s, the old port operated as a lighter-age port during French rule, beginning in the 17th century. From 1986 until 1989, the New Port was developed. An offshore (south) breakwater connected to a north breakwater by a bridge makes up the New Port. The channel, which is 2000 meters long and 40 meters broad, was built between 1986 and 1989. It also has a 150-meter container berth. An undersea tunnel has been built between the north and south breakwaters to facilitate maintenance dredging and allow cargo and fishing vessels to pass through without interruption. The port was in use until 2004, when it was shut down for a lack of maintenance dredging. Since 2004, there has been no freight business; only small fishing boats are currently in use. The viability of enhancing Pondicherry Port's current infrastructure to accommodate feeder-class vessels is investigated in this paper.