Fresh PPP tender aims to revive capacity after early exit of previous operator.

VOC Port Authority Invites Bids to Redevelop Berth No. 7 as Container Terminal.

The VO Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOC Port Authority) has invited bids to develop Berth No. 7 as a container terminal under the public-private partnership (PPP) model, around 14 months after the issuance of a fresh tender framework. The move follows the exit of PSA Sical Terminals, the earlier operator, which left the project nearly three years before its 30-year licence was due to end in 2028. PSA Sical Terminals was majority owned by PSA International, a subsidiary of Temasek Holdings. While the terminal helped place VOC Port on the global container shipping map, the operator accumulated unpaid royalty dues of about ₹2,000 crore, including interest and penalties. The new tender includes stringent eligibility conditions to prevent participation by bidders with prior contract failures or terminations, though a waiver may be considered at the port authority’s discretion. The initiative seeks to restore commercial viability and boost container throughput at the Tamil Nadu port.