Chennai Port

Chennai Port (), formerly known as Madras Port, is the second largest port of India, behind the Mumbai Port, and the largest port in the Bay of Bengal. Being the third oldest port among the 12 major ports of India, it is over 125 years old, although maritime trade started way back in 1639 on the sea shore. It is an artificial and all-weather port. It was a major travel port before becoming a major container port. It is a substantial reason for the economic growth of Tamil Nadu, especially for the manufacturing boom in South India. It is due of the existence of the port that the city of Chennai became known as the Gateway of South India. An ISO 14001:2004 and ISPS-certified port, its container traffic crossed 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for the first time in 2008.

History

Before 1800s

The region surrounding the port has been an important military, administrative, and economic center since the 1st century AD under the rule of many South Indian dynasties, including the Pallava, the Pandya, the Chola, and the Vijayanagar dynasties. The Christian apostle St. Thomas preached in the area between 52 and 70 AD. The ancient town of Mylapore, which is now part of Chennai, was an important port of...
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