Kamarajar Port Limited (KPL) has invited bids from private developers to develop, finance, construct and operate the second container terminal under a DBFOT PPP model at Kamarajar Port in Ennore, Tamil Nadu, India.

The proposed terminal will have an annual handling capacity of 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and will be developed in two phases. Phase I, estimated to cost US$254 million, will provide capacity for 1.1 million TEUs annually and include a 500-metre quay. Phase II, with an estimated investment of US$194 million, will add another 0.9 million TEUs of capacity and extend the quay by a further 400 metres, resulting in a 900-metre continuous quay. The terminal will be capable of handling ultra-large container vessels of up to 24,346 TEUs and ships with a maximum length overall of 400 metres. The concessionaire will also develop supporting infrastructure, including pile berths, container stack yards, internal roads, utility networks, offices and a customs gate complex. KPL will make the project land available to the concessionaire on an as-is-where-is basis.

KPL already operates several facilities through PPP arrangements. Its first common-user container terminal is operated by Adani Ennore Container Terminal Private Limited under a PPP concession, with a designed annual capacity of approximately 1.4 million TEUs. The development of a second container terminal could provide shipping lines and cargo owners with an additional handling option while helping to manage congestion during periods of peak traffic. Beyond container operations, KPL has diversified its port facilities to handle a range of cargo, including coal, liquid cargo, LNG, automobiles, project cargo and bulk cargo. The port is also connected to major road corridors, including NH16, NH32 and NH48, while rail connectivity is available through Attipattu and Attipattu Pudunagar railway stations. 

The US$448 million project aims to strengthen India’s east-coast port infrastructure and meet growing demand for export-import and transhipment services. Under the PPP arrangement, the selected private partner will finance, develop, and operate the terminal before transferring it to KPL at the end of the 40-year concession period. KPL issued the RFQ-cum-RFP on 21 August 2026, with the bid submission deadline set for 30 October 2026. A pre-bid meeting is scheduled for 18 September 2026.