Union Minister for Shipping and Highways T.R. Baalu laid the foundation stone for cargo berth No.9 at the Tuticorin Port Trust. This project will come under NMDP phase-I Inner Harbour Development Projects.
Berth 9 is a westward extension of the existing berth 8. The size of berth 9 is 335m x 29 m and designed to handle large size mainline vessels of 65,000 dwt with a maximum draught of 12.80 m. This berth is a multipurpose one with provisions for installation of shore unloaders as well as container quay crane to handle break bulk/containers.
The berth will be of pile foundation of 1,200 mm dia. with RCC deck. About six hectares of sea area behind the berth will be reclaimed using dredged materials of deepening of harbour basin and channel as a back-up area. This back-up area of berth 9 will be paved with heavy duty cement concrete pavement blocks.