Dredging

Kamarajar reports Phase VI complete and an 18-metre operating draft

Published 18 July 2026 Editorial responsibility IMWO Region Asia Pacific Confidence Confirmed
Bulk carrier alongside an operating Kamarajar Port berth with cargo-handling cranes and Port Control in view

ETInfra

Kamarajar Port has closed the construction stage of Capital Dredging Phase VI. The government now reports an 18.0-metre operating draft and capacity for fully laden Capesize vessels up to 170,000 DWT.

What changed

Kamarajar's 2022-23 annual report supplies the feasibility estimate, the Government eProcurement page supplies the tender value and 540-day period, and the 2024-25 annual report supplies the Van Oord award and contract value excluding GST. Press Information Bureau releases establish the December 2024 foundation event and July 2026 completion claim. Kamarajar's survey page describes the port's hydrographic and declared-depth responsibilities. The accepted survey surface, final volume, material route, completion certificate, final account and first deep-draft vessel call are not published.

Why it matters

The work covered the port's common access system, not one terminal pocket. It deepened the outer approach channel from 20.0 to 23.0 metres and the inner entrance channel from 19.0 to 22.0 metres, with additional dredging at berth fronts, the harbour basin and related navigational areas. The official trail now runs from a 13.23 million cubic metre feasibility estimate through the February 2024 tender, October 2024 award and July 2026 completion announcement.

Decision read

What remains open

The completion claim is official and the procurement trail is now much clearer. The INR 5.492 billion feasibility estimate, INR 3.8 billion tender value, INR 4.407 billion award excluding GST and INR 5.45 billion launch description belong to different stages and are not a final cost series. Final measured volume, material destination, accepted post-dredge survey, completion certificate, final account and an actual 170,000 DWT vessel call are not published.

Next watchpoints

  • Post-dredge survey and formal declared-depth notice
  • Final quantities, material route and environmental close-out
  • Completion certificate and final contract account
  • First fully laden Capesize call and actual vessel draft
  • Under-keel-clearance and tidal operating limits
  • Maintenance-dredging schedule for the deeper access system

Knowledge context

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