Port Of Quilon
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Kollam Port or Port of Quilon is one of the oldest ports (established in AD 825) situated away from
Downtown ''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in American and Canadian English to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business district ( ...
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
(formerly Quilon) It is the third largest port in Kerala by volume of cargo handled and facilities and one of the four Kerala ports having immigration checkpoint (ICP) facility. Located on the south-west coast of India, it was an important port from the ninth to the seventeenth centuries. Kollam was one of the five Indian ports visited by
Ibn Battuta Ibn Battuta (; 24 February 13041368/1369), was a Maghrebi traveller, explorer and scholar. Over a period of 30 years from 1325 to 1354, he visited much of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Iberian Peninsula. Near the end of his life, Ibn ...
.


History

Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
was a port city of the
Chera Dynasty The Chera dynasty ( or Cēra, ), also known as Keralaputra, from the early historic or the Sangam period in Tamil-speaking southern India, ruled over parts of present-day states Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The Cheras, known as one of the mu-ventar ...
until the formation of the independent
Venad Venad was a medieval kingdom between the Western Ghat mountains of India with its capital at city of Quilon.Noburu Karashmia (ed.), A Concise History of South India: Issues and Interpretations. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2014. 143 ...
kingdom, of which it became the capital. Prior to that, Kollam was considered one of the four early entrepots in the global sea trade around the 13th century, along with Alexandria and Cairo in Egypt, the Chinese city of Quanzhou, and Malacca in the Malaysian archipelago. The port was founded by Mar Abo with sanction from Udayamarthandavarma the Tamil king of the Venad in 825 as an alternative to reopening the inland seaport of Kore-ke-ni Kollam near Backare (Thevalakara) also known as Nelcynda and Tyndis to the Romans and the Greeks and Thondi to the Tamils and is also the foundation of the new city. It is also believed that Mar Abo actually volunteered to the Chera king to create a new seaport town near at
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
instead of his request for renewing the almost vanishing Tyndis or Nelcynda inland seaport ( kore-ke-ni) at
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
, lying idle without trade for a few centuries because of the Cheras being overrun by
Pallavas The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The Pallavas played a crucial role in shaping in particular southern Indian history and heritage. The dynasty ros ...
in the 6th century AD ending the spice trade from Malabar coast. This allowed Mar Abo to stay for many decades in Chera kingdom and streamline Christian faith among the Nampoothiri Vaishnavites &Nair sub-castes in the St. Thomas tradition with Syrian liturgy as Reference for the Doctrine of Trinity without replacing the Sanskrit and Vedic prayers. The Chinese traders were one of the oldest foreign communities to settle in
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
. That was the period when
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
evolved as a major trade center (of spices) and an important port along the Malabar coast. In January 2014, the port trust discovered thousands of Chinese coins and Stone Age weapons at Kollam Port, revealing the historical background and trade culture of the port city. This was the first discovery of such a quantity of artifacts at a port in India. These finds reveal that Kollam was the most important port city in India, which served as the business hub of people from
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
,
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, the
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,
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,
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and other Eastern Mediterranean countries. Archaeologists believe that an engulfed city lies on the seabed of current Kollam Port. Today, ships frequently anchor at the port for shipping operations as well for urgent repairs when required. Chief Minister
Oommen Chandy Oommen Chandy (31 October 1942 – 18 July 2023) was an Indian lawyer and statesman who served as the 10th chief minister of Kerala, serving from 2004 to 2006 and 2011 to 2016. He served also as the Leader of the Opposition, leader of the opp ...
launched the Coastal Shipping Project (CSP) at Kollam Port on 9November 2013 while passenger ships began operations in 2014. The first container ship, ''MV Suryamukhi'' arrived at Kollam port as part of the coastal shipping project on 18January 2014, after a two-month delay. Major shipping companies are now showing interest in the port to commence shipping operations. The companies have plans to choose the port as an intermediate base. At present, about four companies have assured their frequent presence at the port. Sooryamukhi, the chartered ship of Kerala State Maritime Development Corporation has sailed to Mudra Port in Gujarat to load tiles and building materials. The Great Sea Shipping Company will also berth at the port soon, carrying cashew from Kochi. After modernization of the port, the first foreign ship anchored in the port on 4 April 2014. Now it is proven that huge foreign ships can easily operate from Kollam Port. The tugs ''MT Chaliyar'' and ''MT Kerala'' along with a new German-made Rs. 12 crore crane is used for the maritime operations in the port.


Layout

The wharf at Kollam Port is in length and wide with an available draught of , whereby vessels up to 15,000 DWT can berth directly. Dredging works are underway at the port to increase the draught to at a cost of Rs.5.7 crores so that ships of and above can easily anchor without the need to travel further to
Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
,
Thoothukudi Thoothukudi (formerly called Tuticorin) is a port city, port industrial city in Thoothukudi district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It lies on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. The city is capital and headquarters of the di ...
or
Chennai Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Tamil Nadu by population, largest city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost states and ...
. The wharf is protected from the waves by a seaboard breakwater and a leeward breakwater. The length of the wharf will be increased to in due course. In 2007, Kollam Port handled about 500,000 tonnes of cargo.


Hinterland and cargo

The primary hinterland of Kollam Port extends to
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality, city in southern Kerala, India, spread over an area of . It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37,538 (as of 2011 census). The Hindu pilgrim centre Sab ...
and the southern parts of the
Kottayam Kottayam () is a city in the Kottayam district of Kerala, India. It is the district headquarters of the district and is located about north of the state capital Thiruvananthapuram. As per the 2011 Indian census, Kottayam has a population of ...
and
Idukki Idukki (ഇടുക്കി; ) is one of the 14 districts in the Indian state of Kerala in the southwest of the country. It is the largest district in Kerala and lies amid the Cardamom Hills of Western Ghats in Kerala. Idukki district co ...
districts; the central and southern parts of
Alappuzha district Alappuzha district (), is one of the 14 Districts of Kerala, districts in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. It was formed as Alleppey district on 17 August 1957, the name of the district being changed to ''Alapp ...
,
Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 List of districts in Kerala, districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major La ...
and
Thiruvananthapuram district Thiruvananthapuram District () is the List of districts of Kerala, southernmost district in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Kerala. The district was created in 1949, with its headquarters in the city of Thiruvananth ...
with the
Kanyakumari Kanyakumari (Tamil; / kəɳjɑkʊmɑɾiː/; referring to Devi Kanya Kumari, officially known as Kanniyakumari, formerly known as Cape Comorin) is a town and a municipality in Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the ...
-
Tirunelveli Tirunelveli (), also known as Nellai and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirunelveli District. It is the fourth-largest munici ...
-
Madurai Madurai ( , , ), formerly known as Madura, is a major city in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the cultural capital of Tamil Nadu and the administrative headquarters of Madurai District, which is ...
and Teni districts of
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
. Commodities currently handled or planned for the port include marble, tiles, sand, titanium ore, cashew nuts, kernels and nut shell liquid, seafood, clay, timber logs, sillimanite, titanium dioxide, blood products, newsprint and waste paper, cement, urea and muriate of potash for fertilizer, rubber, food, agricultural products and cement as well as other commodities and products for local companies such as Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre in Trivandrum and
Kerala Minerals and Metals Kerala Minerals and Metals Ltd is an integrated titanium dioxide manufacturing public sector undertaking in Kollam, Kerala, India. Its operations comprise mining, mineral separation, synthetic rutile and pigment-production plants. Apart from p ...
.


Development and modernisation

Several major modernization projects have been proposed for Kollam with Maldives port in order to transform it into the "port city of Kerala". Projects already planned are some of the largest ever mooted for the state. A facelift of the Maruthadi-Iravipuram area will be carried out by the government as part of the "Kollam Port City" project and will include facilities for sports, fishing, tourism and entertainment. Dredging works are going on for increasing the depth of the port, so that huge ships can easily anchor at the port. As part of the modernization, Government of Kerala have already established a Maritime Institute at
Neendakara Neendakara is a suburb of Kollam city in Kerala, India. The twin harbours, Neendakara and Shakthikulangara, are located here. Neendakara harbour is the largest fishing harbour in the state. Location Neendakara is north of Paravur and south ...
in
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
city ;Funding The Indian State Cabinet approved a detailed project report to develop the port in April 2012. Split into two phases, the first will require an investment of Rs 1.11 billion and the second Rs 12.5 billion. The government has already invested Rs 7.106 billion as part of the first phase. A wharf will be laid out to the southeast of the port in the second stage of development. A wharf with the capacity to accommodate six ships at a time is also planned. ;EDI and online customs clearance facilities Kollam Port is one of the two ports in Kerala that have the facility to provide online customs clearance at the port with the help of
Electronic data interchange Electronic data interchange (EDI) is the concept of businesses electronically communicating information that was traditionally communicated on paper, such as purchase orders, advance ship notices, and invoices. Technical standards for EDI exist to ...
(EDI). Kollam Port's EDI locator code is INKUK1. The Electronic Data Interface (EDI) facility of the Customs at the Kollam Port was commissioned on 6 January 2016 and this had enabled importers and exports to handle consignments meant for Kollam from anywhere in the world. The facility with a particular code was available round the clock. It replaced the manual system for Customs clearance at the port. With the help of this technology, import and export details of goods, tax amounts and payments will be converted into electronic format. This will enable smooth and speedy transportation of goods through the port. To facilitate this move, a high-speed dedicated
Multiprotocol Label Switching Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a routing technique in telecommunications networks that directs data from one node to the next based on labels rather than network addresses. Whereas network addresses identify endpoints, the labels iden ...
enabled internet connection has been implemented at the port. Kollam will become the second port in Kerala to offer EDI enabled technology allowing it to offer more convenient container handling and transportation activities than
Kochi Port Cochin Port or Kochi Port is a major port on the Arabian Sea – Laccadive Sea – Indian Ocean sea-route in the city of Kochi in Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala and is one of the largest ports in India. The Vallarpadam container ...
and
Tuticorin Port V. O. Chidambaranar Port is a port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, and is one of the 13 major ports in India. It was declared to be a major port on 11 July 1974. It is the second largest port in Tamil Nadu and third largest container terminal in Ind ...
as the export-import rates at Kollam Port are significantly lower. There is also a proposal to export food products to The
Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...
from Kollam Port. ;Co-operation with Tuticorin Port As Kochi Port is approaching full capacity, the port department of Kerala and the Cashew Export Promotion Council of India (CEPCI) have decided to cooperate with Tuticorin Port to import raw cashews for Kollam based cashew factories. According to the plan, raw cashews will arrive at Tuticorin Port and then be trans-shipped to Kollam Port aboard small container ships. There is also a plan to set up a quarantine facility and cashew testing lab at the port with the support of CEPCI. ;Vessel tracking and monitoring system (VTMS) The Ports Department of the
Kerala Government The Government of Kerala (abbreviated as GoK), also known as the Kerala Government, is the administrative body responsible for governing the Indian state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who selects all the other ministers. ...
has sanctioned Rs.28.8 million to install a vessel Tracking and Monitoring System (VTMS) at the port. ;Cruise ship and hovercraft services The Ports Department together with Customs Officers and tour operators agreed to start Kollam-based cruise operations from April 2014. Initially, domestic only services are on offer although these may later be expanded to international services. Tour operators agree that the port has the potential for international cruise operations because of the tourism potential of the surrounding areas and have stated that the infrastructure of the port meets the requirements for cruise operations. They have also explored the possibilities of starting hovercraft services from the port. The plan is to start with a Kollam-Kochi service taking about three hours and 20 minutes to cover the distance. ;Industrial Development Zones The government of Kerala has decided on industrial development projects around airports and ports in Kerala. Projects in the port area will be carries out with the help of the
Infrastructure Development Finance Company Infrastructure Development Finance Company Limited, more commonly known as IDFC, was a development finance institution based in India under the Department of Financial Services, Government of India. It provided finance and advisory services ...
. Industrial Development Zones will be set up in districts such as
Kozhikode Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...
,
Ernakulam Ernakulam () is the central business district of the city of Kochi, Kerala, India. It is the namesake of Ernakulam district. The eastern part of Kochi city is mainly known as Ernakulam, while the western part of it after the Venduruthy Bridge ...
,
Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the Capital city, capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the ...
,
Kannur Kannur (), formerly known in English as Cannanore, is a city and Municipal corporation (India), municipal corporation in the state of Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Kannur district and situated north of the maj ...
and
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
, which have either ports or airports. Townships will also be built adjacent to these facilities ;New Passenger Terminal and Cargo Terminal Chief Minister
Oommen Chandy Oommen Chandy (31 October 1942 – 18 July 2023) was an Indian lawyer and statesman who served as the 10th chief minister of Kerala, serving from 2004 to 2006 and 2011 to 2016. He served also as the Leader of the Opposition, leader of the opp ...
inaugurated the construction works of new Passenger Terminal at Kollam Port on 14 August 2015. Opening of National Waterway-3 connecting
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
city will invite more passengers to
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
. Moreover, the new passenger terminal at Kollam Port aiming
Lakshadweep Lakshadweep () is a union territory of India. It is an archipelago of 36 islands divided into three island subgroups: the Amindivi Islands in the north, the Laccadive Islands (separated from Amindivi roughly by the 11th parallel north), and th ...
Government's plans to start passenger ship services to
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
city, as
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
city is very close to
Minicoy Minicoy, locally known as Maliku (), is an island in Lakshadweep, India. Along with Viringili, it is on Maliku atoll, the southernmost atoll of Lakshadweep archipelago. Administratively, it is a census town in the Indian States and territories ...
compared to
Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
. Kollam Port is the nearest seaport to
Minicoy Island Minicoy, locally known as Maliku (), is an island in Lakshadweep, India. Along with Viringili, it is on Maliku atoll, the southernmost atoll of Lakshadweep archipelago. Administratively, it is a census town in the Indian union territory of Laks ...
. It is just 200 nautical miles away from Minicoy. ;International ship arrived with raw cashews 'Intermarine', an international vessel from
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 ...
has anchored at Port of Kollam with 5,600 tonnes of raw cashew from the
West Africa West Africa, also known as Western Africa, is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations geoscheme for Africa#Western Africa, United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Gha ...
n country of
Guinea-Bissau Guinea-Bissau, officially the Republic of Guinea-Bissau, is a country in West Africa that covers with an estimated population of 2,026,778. It borders Senegal to Guinea-Bissau–Senegal border, its north and Guinea to Guinea–Guinea-Bissau b ...
on 30 August 2015, after a long gap of 47 years. This opened ways for Kollam Port to provide needed facilities for international huge vessels and has popped up the cashew industry in
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
city. The direct deal between Kollam Port and international raw cashew exporters from
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
have given new hopes for giant cashew business groups in
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
city, as a full load of raw cashew container can be transferred from Kollam Port to the processing units for a cost of Rs. 3000–4000. Earlier it was Rs. 17000-18000 for transferring from
Kochi Port Cochin Port or Kochi Port is a major port on the Arabian Sea – Laccadive Sea – Indian Ocean sea-route in the city of Kochi in Ernakulam district in the state of Kerala and is one of the largest ports in India. The Vallarpadam container ...
/
Tuticorin Port V. O. Chidambaranar Port is a port in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, and is one of the 13 major ports in India. It was declared to be a major port on 11 July 1974. It is the second largest port in Tamil Nadu and third largest container terminal in Ind ...
to
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
. ;Weekly service to Kochi International Container Transshipment Terminal In January 2016, a weekly service connecting Port of Kollam with International Container Transshipment Terminal in
Kochi Kochi ( , ), List of renamed Indian cities and states#Kerala, formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the Ernakulam district, district of Ernakulam in the ...
has been started in order to boost the cashew trade and other businesses in
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
city and neighbouring places. The first feeder ship from
Tanzania Tanzania, officially the United Republic of Tanzania, is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It is bordered by Uganda to the northwest; Kenya to the northeast; the Indian Ocean to the east; Mozambique and Malawi to t ...
with 30 container loads of raw cashew had been docked at
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
on 6 January 2016. The containers were loaded on the feeder vessel from a ship that arrived at Vallarpadam with the consignment from Tanzania. This service is expected to benefit customers as cargo landing in
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
will ensure better visibility and control over inventory, besides saving cost. Since Kollam Port is the only modern port with all needed facilities in South Kerala, the feeder service will also benefit the traders and businessmen in
Trivandrum Thiruvananthapuram ( ), also known as Trivandrum, is the capital city of the Indian state of Kerala. As of 2011, the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation had a population of 957,730 over an area of 214.86 sq. km, making it the largest and ...
,
Pathanamthitta Pathanamthitta (), is a municipality, city in southern Kerala, India, spread over an area of . It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The town has a population of 37,538 (as of 2011 census). The Hindu pilgrim centre Sab ...
,
Nagercoil Nagercoil, natively spelt as Nāgarkovil (, "Temple of the Nāgas", or Nagaraja-Temple), is a Municipal Corporation city and the administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District in Tamil Nadu state, India. Situated close to the tip of the ...
,
Marthandam Marthandam is a major trade centre in Kuzhithurai municipality across National Highway (NH 47) in the Kanyakumari district of Tamil Nadu, India. Formerly known as Thoduvetty (another name for the Marthandam market region), it was a portion ...
and
Kanyakumari Kanyakumari (Tamil; / kəɳjɑkʊmɑɾiː/; referring to Devi Kanya Kumari, officially known as Kanniyakumari, formerly known as Cape Comorin) is a town and a municipality in Kanyakumari district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is the ...
with low-cost goods transportation and export-import facilities from Kollam Port. The introduction of the shipping facility from
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
will enable processors to cut costs to some extent. It will also serve to ease congestion on roads. ;Port complex Minister K. Babu laid the foundation stone for the Kollam port complex worth Rs.5-crore on 14 January 2016. ;Commencement of Roll-on, roll-off (ro-ro) ship service MV Maria, a 160-metre long Ro-Ro ship with a capacity to carry up to 150 loaded trucks and 210 cars, anchored at Kollam Port on 17 March 2016 from
New Mangalore Port New Mangalore Port or New Mangalore Port Trust(NMPT) is an all-weather port at Panambur, Mangalore in Karnataka state in India. The total land area of the port is approximately . The New Mangalore Port is the deepest inner harbour on the wes ...
. This is the first ro-ro ship to call at any port in
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
. ;Passenger ship service to Lakshadweep Islands In October 2016, Kerala Ports Minister
Kadannappalli Ramachandran Kadannappalli Ramachandran (born 1 July 1944) is an Indian politician who is serving as the Minister for Ports, Museums, Archaeology and Archives of Kerala since December 2023. He previously held the same position from 2016 to 2021. Ramachandr ...
announced passenger ship services from Kollam Port and Azheekal Port to Lakshadweep for opening up two new spokes connecting the islands with the mainland. Officials from
Government of Kerala The Government of Kerala (abbreviated as GoK), also known as the Kerala Government, is the administrative body responsible for governing the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who ...
and
Kollam Municipal Corporation Kollam Municipal Corporation (KMC) is an ISO 9000#Contents of ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001:2015 certified civic body that governs the city of Kollam in the Indian state of Kerala. It is the fourth-largest city corporation by population in the state, ...
is expected to visit
Minicoy Minicoy, locally known as Maliku (), is an island in Lakshadweep, India. Along with Viringili, it is on Maliku atoll, the southernmost atoll of Lakshadweep archipelago. Administratively, it is a census town in the Indian States and territories ...
, the southernmost atoll of
Lakshadweep Lakshadweep () is a union territory of India. It is an archipelago of 36 islands divided into three island subgroups: the Amindivi Islands in the north, the Laccadive Islands (separated from Amindivi roughly by the 11th parallel north), and th ...
soon, to study the potential of the proposed ferry service to
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
city. Plans of health department authorities are underway to bring visitors from
Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, abou ...
and
Lakshadweep Lakshadweep () is a union territory of India. It is an archipelago of 36 islands divided into three island subgroups: the Amindivi Islands in the north, the Laccadive Islands (separated from Amindivi roughly by the 11th parallel north), and th ...
to
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
to make them aware of efficient but cheap medical facilities available here. ;Kerala Coastal Highway project The
Government of Kerala The Government of Kerala (abbreviated as GoK), also known as the Kerala Government, is the administrative body responsible for governing the Indian States and territories of India, state of Kerala. The government is led by a chief minister, who ...
has approved a 6,500 crores worth Coastal Highway project for the state. The highway will pass through almost all the major coastal cities in Kerala including
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
. The coastal highway passes through nine districts of the state, connecting the major ports of Vallarpadom, Kollam,
Vizhinjam Vizhinjam () is an area located in the city of Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of the state of Kerala in India. which belongs to Thiruvananthapuram Corporation . It is located 16 km south west from the city centre and 17 km south of Trivand ...
in Kerala along with several minor ports. ;Kollam-Colombo ship service In 2018 October, Senior Director of the Singapore-based X-Press Feeders Group, Nelson Sekera, met the Kerala Minister for Port
Kadannappalli Ramachandran Kadannappalli Ramachandran (born 1 July 1944) is an Indian politician who is serving as the Minister for Ports, Museums, Archaeology and Archives of Kerala since December 2023. He previously held the same position from 2016 to 2021. Ramachandr ...
at Asramam Government Guest House and expressed their willingness to start
Colombo Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...
-
Kollam Kollam (;), is an ancient seaport and the List of cities and towns in Kerala, fourth largest city in the Indian state of Kerala. Located on the southern tip of the Malabar Coast of the Arabian Sea, the city is on the banks of Ashtamudi Lake ...
ship services. X-Press Feeders is owing nearly 100 ships.


Services available at port

Some of the international shipping service providers have already started operations at Kollam Port for facilitating freight transfer to-and-fro Kollam Port, Ship Chandling, Ship Husbandry Services, Ship Spares Logistics, Bunkering Services etc.


Kollam Inland Port

There is an inland terminal of
Inland Waterways Authority of India Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) is the statutory authority in charge of the waterways in India. It was constituted under IWAI Act-1985 by the Parliament of India.http://iwai.nic.in/showfile.php?lid=882 See section 3 of the act Its he ...
situated at
Asramam Asramam or Ashramam is one of the prime locations in Kollam city of Kerala, India. It is one among the 55 wards of Kollam Municipal Corporation. Asramam is a notable place in the city because of the presence of Kollam Airport, old airport, public ...
on
National Waterway 3 The West Coast Canal or National Waterway No 3 is a long inland navigational route located in Kerala, India, which runs from Kollam to Kottapuram. It was declared a National Waterway in 1993. In addition to the main stretch, Champakara and Ud ...
in
Ashtamudi Lake Ashtamudi Lake (''Ashtamudi Kayal, ml: "അഷ്ടമുടിക്കായൽ" ''), in the Kollam District of the Indian state of Kerala is a unique wetland ecosystem and a large palm-shaped (also described as octopus-shaped) water body. ...
. This port is mainly for handling barges. It has a 30 m RCC jetty for berthing and has an 18 T Mobile Hydraulic Crane and three fork lifts. It has an office space of 100 sq. metres and covered storage space of 280 sq. metres. The total open storage is 3500 sq. metres. It is yet to begin full-fledged commercial operations. This terminal can be connected to sea port through inland waterways at
Kochupilamoodu Kochupilamoodu or Kochupilammoodu is an important neighbourhood and cashew hub in Kollam city, Kerala, India. It is one of the prominent business centres in the city. Kochupilamoodu is very close to Downtown Kollam area and is about 1 km awa ...
in Kollam Port Road through
Kollam Canal Kollam Canal or Quilon Canal or Kollam Thodu is a 7.7 km long canal system passing through the city of Kollam, India. It is a part of National Waterway-3 and 78 km long Kollam-Trivandrum (Kovalam) State waterway project. History The ...
.


See also

* City of Kollam * Kollam Airport(defunct.) *
Kollam Beach Kollam Beach, also known as Mahatma Gandhi Beach, is a beach at Kollam city in the Indian state of Kerala. Kollam Beach is the first 'Beach Wedding Destination' in Kerala. The beach also features a park of international standard, the Maha ...
*
Kollam district Kollam district (), (formerly Quilon district) is one of 14 List of districts in Kerala, districts of the state of Kerala, India. The district has a cross-section of Kerala's natural attributes; it is endowed with a long coastline, a major La ...
* Port Kollam Church *
Port Road, Kollam Kollam Port Road or Port Road, Kollam is a four lane road in the city of Kollam, India. The road connects historic Port of Quilon'' (Kollam Port)'' and Vaddy with Kochupilamoodu in the city through Kollam Beach. History A detailed plan for co ...


References


External links


Detailed Project Report for the Development of Kollam Port
{{Cashew business in Kollam , state=collapsed History of Kollam Ports and harbours of the Arabian Sea Ports and harbours of Kerala Water transport in Kollam Economy of Kollam Buildings and structures in Kollam