Infrastructure

Kamarajar Port Becomes India's Second Major Port with an 18-Metre Draft

By TestNeeti Editorial TeamPublished Tuesday, 7 July 2026 2 min readSource: CA - Watchdog BodiesArticle 17 of 21

Kamarajar Port has become the second major port in India to achieve an operational draft of 18 metres, after Visakhapatnam Port, enabling it to handle large Capesize vessels. The milestone follows the completion of the Capital Dredging Phase VI project by Kamarajar Port Limited (KPL), transforming the facility into a deep-water port. With the 18-metre draft, the port can now receive vessels carrying cargo loads of up to 1,70,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT), improving efficiency and expanding capacity for international trade. The deeper draft is expected to allow direct berthing of larger vessels, cut logistics costs, improve turnaround times, and boost movement of bulk commodities such as coal and iron ore.

Key Facts & Details

9 points

1
Kamarajar Port has become only the second major port in India, after Visakhapatnam Port, to offer an operational draft of 18 metres.
2
The milestone followed the completion of the Capital Dredging Phase VI project by Kamarajar Port Limited (KPL).
3
The deeper draft allows the port to handle large Capesize vessels, among the world's largest bulk cargo ships.
4
The port can now receive vessels carrying cargo loads of up to 1,70,000 deadweight tonnes (DWT).
5
The enhanced draft is expected to enable direct berthing of larger vessels, reduce logistics costs and improve turnaround times for importers and exporters.
6
It is likely to boost the movement of bulk commodities such as coal, iron ore and other cargo, strengthening India's maritime infrastructure.

Deep Dive

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The development aligns with the government's efforts to modernise ports and improve trade efficiency.
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A deeper draft lets ships load more cargo without offloading at intermediate ports, cutting per-tonne shipping costs.
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The upgrade strengthens India's position as a global maritime and logistics hub.

Exam Focus

Which port became India's second major port to achieve an 18-metre draft, and which port was the first?

Exam Relevance & Angle

Ports and maritime infrastructure are frequently tested. Key hooks here are Kamarajar Port as the second 18-metre-draft major port after Visakhapatnam Port, the Capesize vessel capability, and the 1,70,000 DWT capacity, all useful for infrastructure and geography questions.

Target Exams

SBI POIBPS POSSC CGLSSC CHSLRRB NTPCUPSC CSEState PCS

Background & Context

A port's draft is the depth of water it can offer, determining the maximum size and loading of ships it can accommodate; deeper drafts allow larger, fully laden vessels. Capesize vessels are very large bulk carriers, historically too big for the Suez or Panama canals, and need deep-water ports. Capital dredging is the initial deepening of a harbour or channel to create greater depth, as opposed to maintenance dredging that preserves it. Kamarajar Port (formerly Ennore Port) in Tamil Nadu is a major port administered under the central government, and India classifies its large, centrally governed ports as major ports while others are non-major ports under state jurisdiction.