Location
India / Asia Pacific
Project record
Kamarajar Port Capital Dredging Phase VI
Kamarajar Port says Capital Dredging Phase VI is complete. The project moved from a 13.23 million cubic metre feasibility estimate to a February 2024 tender and an October 2024 award to Van Oord. 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 work at berth fronts, the harbour basin and related navigational areas. The port now reports an 18.0-metre operating draft and capacity for fully laden Capesize vessels carrying up to 170,000 DWT.
Segment
Dredging
Status
The Government of India reports Phase VI complete and Kamarajar operating at 18.0 metres draft; the post-dredge survey sheet and a first fully laden Capesize call are not published / Confirmed
Last checked
18 July 2026
Coverage
Related sectors
Dredging is the primary work classification. Related sectors connect this record to adjacent marine delivery and market coverage.
Subject index
Related subjects
These subject pages bring together related projects, technical articles, reports, and evidence methods.
Project anatomy
Contract scope and delivery roles
- Client / authority
- Kamarajar Port Limited
- Delivery parties
- Van Oord Marine Contractors BV
- Contract route
- Kamarajar's 2022-23 annual report records approval of a draft feasibility report based on about 13.23 million cubic metres and an estimated INR 5.492 billion cost. The Government of India eProcurement System then published the global Phase VI tender on 16 February 2024 with an INR 3.8 billion tender value and 540-day period. Kamarajar's 2024-25 annual report records award to Van Oord Marine Contractors BV on 24 October 2024 for INR 4.407 billion excluding GST. A December 2024 government release described the capital-dredging investment as INR 5.45 billion. These are planning, tender, award and public-investment descriptions, not one comparable final cost series.
- Execution window
- The February 2024 tender specified 540 days. The contract was awarded on 24 October 2024, Kamarajar's 2024-25 annual report carried June 2026 as the expected finish, and the public completion announcement followed on 7 July 2026. The contractor's actual physical-completion date, accepted survey date and final completion certificate are not published.
- Works package
- Deepen the outer approach channel from 20.0 to 23.0 metres and the inner entrance channel from 19.0 to 22.0 metres, and dredge alongside berths, within the harbour basin and across associated navigational areas to support an 18.0-metre operating draft. The 13.23 million cubic metre figure belongs to the draft feasibility basis. The reviewed completion release does not state the final measured volume, sediment classification, plant spread or placement route.
- Marine interfaces
- Phase VI changed the common access system used by Kamarajar's bulk, coal, liquid, LNG, container and general-cargo berths. The dredged channel and basin depths are not the same as the port's operating draft: vessel access still depends on the accepted survey surface, under-keel-clearance policy, tide, traffic control, pilotage and berth availability.
- Commercial evidence boundary
- The main capital-dredging contract is now reported complete, and the procurement trail is visible from feasibility through tender and award. The changing values should not be read as simple cost growth because their tax, scope and reporting bases differ. The unresolved commercial and operating record is the final measured quantity, accepted survey, completion certificate, final account, first deep-draft vessel evidence and maintenance regime needed to hold the new access geometry.
Project timeline
Material developments
Dated events that changed scope, counterparties, delivery, commissioning or operating status.
Open this project in the Change LogGovernment announced Phase VI complete
The completion release moved the project from construction to completed and stated an 18.0-metre operating draft, with outer and inner channel depths of 23.0 and 22.0 metres respectively.
SourceKamarajar's annual report recorded work in progress
The owner identified Van Oord as contractor, INR 4.407 billion excluding GST as the contract value and June 2026 as the expected completion point.
SourceGovernment marked the start of the capital-dredging work
The foundation-event release described an INR 5.45 billion capital-dredging investment. That public investment description is not a final account and should not replace the separate tender or award values.
SourceVan Oord received the Phase VI award
Kamarajar's annual report records this as the award date for the capital-dredging contract and identifies Van Oord as the delivery contractor.
SourceGlobal tender was published with a 540-day period
The Government eProcurement record carried an INR 3.8 billion tender value, a 540-day period and an initial 17 April 2024 bid-opening date. These were tender-stage terms, not the later award or actual completion record.
SourceDraft feasibility report set the upstream planning basis
Kamarajar's 2022-23 annual report recorded approval of a draft feasibility report with about 13.23 million cubic metres and an estimated INR 5.492 billion cost. These are planning estimates, not final measured quantity or expenditure.
SourceEvidence gap
What remains unverified
Outstanding evidence
- Post-dredge hydrographic survey and formal declared-depth notice
- Final dredged quantity, material destination and environmental close-out
- Completion certificate, final account and any outstanding defect work
- First fully laden Capesize call and recorded arrival or departure draft
- Under-keel-clearance, pilotage and tidal operating limits at 18.0 metres
- Maintenance-dredging plan for the approach, entrance, basin and berth fronts
Sources and related records
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Source collections
Project sources 6
- Kamarajar Port becomes India's second major port with 18-metre draft capability Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 7 July 2026
- Kamarajar Port Limited Twenty Fifth Annual Report 2024-25 Kamarajar Port Limited, Submitted 4 September 2025
- Kamarajar Port marks Silver Jubilee with major expansion projects Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 7 December 2024
- Capital Dredging Phase VI to provide deep draft at Kamarajar Port Government of India eProcurement System, Published 16 February 2024
- Kamarajar Port Limited Twenty Third Annual Report 2022-23 Kamarajar Port Limited, 22 September 2023
- Kamarajar Port Survey and Dredging Kamarajar Port Limited, Current page reviewed 18 July 2026