Thoothukudi has been a centre for maritime trade and pearl fishery for more than 2000 years.
The natural harbour with a rich hinterland, activated the development of the Port, initially with wooden piers and iron screw pile pier and connections to the railways.
Thoothukudi was declared as a minor anchorage port in 1868.
Since then there have been various developments over the years.

At the time of Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister, Kamalapati Tripathi was the Shipping Minister, he started the work of the major port in Tuticorin.
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.
Even without the approval of the Cabinet, T. T. Krishnamachari sanctioned Rs.
7 crores.
On 1 February 1980 the major Port has been completed.
It was completed on Indira Gandhi's intervention when she was the Prime Minister.

To cope with the increasing trade through Thoothukudi, the Government of India sanctioned the construction of an all-weather port at Thoothukudi, which brings the second largest revenue to India.
On 11 July 1974, the newly constructed Tuticorin Port was declared as the 10th major port of India.
On 1 April 1979, the erstwhile Thoothukudi minor Port and the newly constructed Thoothukudi major port were merged and the V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust was constituted under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963.
The port is named after V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, the eminent freedom fighter who was well known as Kappalottiya Thamizhan, meaning The Tamillian man who rode the ship.
Thoothukudi has been a centre for maritime trade and pearl fishery for more than 2000 years. The natural harbour with a rich hinterland, activated the development of the Port, initially with wooden piers and iron screw pile pier and connections to the railways. Thoothukudi was declared as a minor anchorage port in 1868. Since then there have been various developments over the years.
At the time of Jawaharlal Nehru was the Prime Minister, Kamalapati Tripathi was the Shipping Minister, he started the work of the major port in Tuticorin. 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. Even without the approval of the Cabinet, T. T. Krishnamachari sanctioned Rs. 7 crores. On 1 February 1980 the major Port has been completed. It was completed on Indira Gandhi's intervention when she was the Prime Minister.
To cope with the increasing trade through Thoothukudi, the Government of India sanctioned the construction of an all-weather port at Thoothukudi, which brings the second largest revenue to India. On 11 July 1974, the newly constructed Tuticorin Port was declared as the 10th major port of India. On 1 April 1979, the erstwhile Thoothukudi minor Port and the newly constructed Thoothukudi major port were merged and the V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust was constituted under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. The port is named after V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, the eminent freedom fighter who was well known as Kappalottiya Thamizhan, meaning The Tamillian man who rode the ship.
V. O. Chidambaranar Port Trust