Chidambaranar Port Authority, Tamil Nadu under the operational and administrative control of the Commander, Coast Guard Region (East), Chennai.

Chidambaranar Port Authority was commissioned on 25 April 1991 by Vice Admiral SW Lakhar, NM, VSM the then Director General Coast Guard.

The Station Commander is responsible for Coast Guard operations in this area of jurisdiction in Gulf of Mannar.

Jawaharlal Nehru then said that he was giving this port to the people of Tamil Nadu in the presence of Kamlapati Tripathi and the then Finance Minister T. T. Krishnamachari.

The port is named after V. O. Chidambaram Pillai,[9] the eminent freedom fighter who was well known as Kappalottiya Thamizhan, meaning The Tamilian man who rode the ship.

Chidambaranar Port Authority in Thoothukudi is located strategically close to the East-West International sea route on Coromandel Coast.

Located in Gulf of Mannar, with Sri Lanka on South East and large Indian Landmass on the West, the Port is well sheltered from storms and cyclone winds.

This port serves the districts of Tuticorin, Tirunelveli, Kanniyakumari, Tenkasi, Virudhunagar, Madurai, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Theni, Dindigul, Erode, Tirupur, Salem, Namakkal, Karur, Nilgris, Thanjavur Tiruchirappali and Coimbatore.

Due to its strategic location in the southern peninsula and assured round-the-clock operations, the port has been the nerve centre of economic activity in south Tamil Nadu.

The port currently handles seven per cent of the total container traffic in India and is an important reason for investment in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu.

The Tuticorin port has the potential to be an international container transshipment hub given its unique geographical location.

A large portion of the operations in the port has been privatised, including handling at the first container terminal by PSA Sical.

[17] Tuticorin port is becoming a gateway for South India to the US, Europe and the Mediterranean following direct sailings to these regions.

The Port achieved a record of handling 5 lakh TEU's in 2012-2013 surpassing the target fixed by Shipping Ministry.

The port on 18 February 2016 surpassed the previous fiscal's traffic of 32.41 million tonnes and this feat was achieved 42 days ahead of the fiscal-end.

Chidambaranar Port Authority officials expressed their willingness to allot a 24-acre (97,000 m2) plot on the 'port estate' area for the establishment of the Naval Base.

The facility available at the Port has propelled industrial growth in the region and is also emerging as power Hub of South India.

During Budget speech in Feb 2013, the Hon’ble Union Finance Minister had also announced the Development of Outer Harbour project in V.O.

The port has engaged M/s.I – maritime consultancy Pvt Ltd, NaviMumbai for preparation of DPR (Detailed Project Report).

Port Trust Chairman S. Ananda Chandra Bose said the announcement would help in the development of the region.

The project would facilitate the establishment of power stations in Thoothukudi and boost activities on the Thoothukudi-Madurai industrial corridor.