VO Chidambaranar port, at Tuticorin near the southern tip of India, handled 3.94 million tonnes of cargo and 75,110-TEU in October, marking double-digit growth compared with the same month last year, reports Chennai's New Indian Express.

Cargo volumes climbed 10.94 per cent from 3.55 million tonnes in October 2024, while container traffic rose 20.83 per cent from 62,158 TEU. The port said overall volumes for the financial year to October reached 25.23 million tonnes and 503,204 TEU, representing gains of 2.71 per cent and 8.44 per cent respectively.

Ship calls also increased, with 1,064 vessels arriving in October against 1,004 a year earlier. Operational efficiency improved as average turnaround time for container vessels shortened from 20.16 hours to 19.20 hours.

Growth was spread across multiple commodities, including petroleum products up 11.16 per cent, edible oil 8.57 per cent, fertilizer 34.18 per cent, raw materials 8.32 per cent, rock phosphate 9.85 per cent, salt 53 per cent and construction materials surging 177.22 per cent.

Port chairman Susanta Kumar Purohit said the broad-based gains underscored the port's stronger performance, improved efficiency and focus on customer needs.