The V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority has introduced 10 days of free storage for eligible laden export-import containers handled through mainline vessel services, while adding 40,000 square metres of container stacking space at its facilities in Thoothukudi. The measure took effect immediately and will remain valid until March 31, 2027.
According to a statement issued by the port authority, 20,000 square metres of the additional area has been earmarked at the seventh berth and another 20,000 square metres near the tenth berth. The space will be used for the storage and stacking of containers arriving through mainline vessel services.
Under the new provision, eligible laden Exim containers will not incur storage charges for the first 10 days. Charges will apply from the 11th day onwards according to the port’s prevailing scale of rates. The concession is intended to reduce the immediate storage burden for eligible cargo handled through mainline services and provide more operational space within the port.
The facility is open to mainline vessel operators, terminal operators, major industries, freight forwarders, customs brokers, non-vessel operating common carrier operators and other eligible stakeholders. Access will remain subject to port regulations, the availability of space and operational convenience.
The concession does not apply to all container movements. It is limited to mainline vessel services covered under Schemes 1, 2 and 2A specified in the port’s trade notice dated May 6, 2026. Stakeholders have been advised to consult the port’s trade notice dated September 23, 2026, for detailed conditions and applicability.
For a port, free storage is tied closely to the availability and management of stacking space. The authority’s decision combines a pricing concession with physical capacity: cargo eligible under the specified schemes receives additional time before storage charges begin, while the port has designated new areas to accommodate containers. The two measures are being implemented together to support container handling through mainline services.
The authority said the additional stacking space and extended free-storage period would make mainline container handling more convenient for shipping lines, industries and logistics intermediaries. It also said the measures were aimed at encouraging greater export-import container traffic through the port.
The move places the operational terms for mainline container traffic at the centre of the port’s latest effort. Stakeholders will need to meet the scheme conditions and comply with port regulations, while the availability of space and operational convenience will remain factors in accessing the facility.
The arrangement will continue through March 31, 2027. The port’s September 23 trade notice sets out the detailed applicability and conditions for stakeholders using the concession.
