The Kochi International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT), locally known as the Vallarpadam Terminal, is the first transshipment terminal in India and the first container terminal to operate in a SEZ. Being constructed in three stages, the first phase of the terminal was commissioned on 11 February 2011 with a capacity to handle cargo up to one million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) per annum. In late 2023, DP World added new cranes, e-RTGs and expanded yard space, boosting the total capacity to 1.4 million TEUs per year. On completion of the third phase, the terminal will be able to handle 5.5 million

Twenty-foot equivalent unit The twenty-foot equivalent unit (abbreviated TEU or teu) is a general unit of cargo capacity, often used for container ships and container ports.Rowlett, 2004. It is based on the volume of a intermodal container, a standard-sized metal box tha ...

s (TEUs) of cargo per annum. The terminal is operated by the Dubai Ports World (DPW), which will operate it for 30 years after which the control will come back to the Cochin Port Trust.

History

Container Transshipment Terminal, Kochi first came to the mind of Dr. Babu Paul IAS, He proposed this project to K Karunakaran but the central government was not interested in this project. On 16 February 2005,

Dubai Ports World DP World is a multinational corporation, multinational logistics company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It specialises in cargo logistics, port terminal operations, maritime services and free trade zones. Formed in 2005 by the merger of D ...

announced that it has signed an agreement with the Cochin Port Trust (CoPT) to construct, develop and operate an International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) – An India Gateway Terminal – at Vallarpadam. The project was, formally, launched with the laying of the foundation stone by

Manmohan Singh Manmohan Singh (26 September 1932 – 26 December 2024) was an Indian economist, bureaucrat, academician, and statesman, who served as the prime minister of India from 2004 to 2014. He was the fourth longest-serving prime minister after Jaw ...

, the

Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Union Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers, despite the president of ...

. Approval for the agreement was given by the Cabinet Committee of Economic Affairs of the

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

Ministry of Finance A ministry of finance is a ministry or other government agency in charge of government finance, fiscal policy, and financial regulation. It is headed by a finance minister, an executive or cabinet position . A ministry of finance's portfoli ...

and meanwhile, the

DP World DP World is a multinational logistics company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It specialises in cargo logistics, port terminal operations, maritime services and free trade zones. Formed in 2005 by the merger of Dubai Ports Authority and ...

will manage and subsequently transfer its operations at the Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal in Cochin Port to the new terminal upon its completion. The

has been granted a 38-year concession for the exclusive operation and management of the site.

Overview

Vallarpadam Terminal is the first in the country to operate in a special economic zone. * The first phase was opened in 2011 with a 600 m Quay length and a draft of 14.5 m, with a capacity to handle 1 million TEUs. In October 2023, the terminal capacity was increased to 1.4 million TEUs after the arrival of six new cranes, including two STS megamax cranes. * In the second phase the capacity will be enhanced to 3 million TEUs. * In the third phase the terminal may handle even up to 5.5 million TEUs. The total cost of the project is estimated at 3200 crore. DP World has estimated that the total initial investment required will be approximately US$20 million which includes the immediate provision of four RTGs and two Mobile Harbour Cranes to the Terminal -to improve yard handling, truck turnaround time and quayside operations. There is a railway connection between Vallarpadam terminal and Edappally Railway station on the strategic Shoranur-Ernamkulam railway line . Strategically, located on the main east–west global shipping lines and offering draft of about 16 m,

Cochin Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...

is destined to develop as the premier gateway to

southern India South India, also known as Southern India or Peninsular India, is the southern part of the Deccan Peninsula in India encompassing the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana as well as the union territories of ...

, as also offering an alternative to

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

and

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

for containers being transshipped for the Indian market.

Location

The terminal is located in the Vallarpadam island in Kochi. Vallarpadam panoramic view fom the top vallarpadam church

Opening

On 11 February 2011 the terminal was inaugurated by