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 M/s.Cogan and Day founded a trading settlement
in the little fishing village of Chennaipattnam in 1639. The English East India Company
chose this place as the centre of their commercial activities in the South. Thus was laid
the foundations of the modern city of Chennai, the capital city of
TamilNadu. This
southern gateway developed as a major trade centre, well-linked by road, rail, water and
air with the rest of the world. But in those days when air travel was still unknown, sea
route to Britain, was the most important for transport of merchandise and people. The
Chennai Port came into being in those times and started flourishing. 
Early 19th century efforts were made to revive
trade by building a harbour and improving shipping facilities. However, the sea swept over
the breakwaters into the harbour. The rapid silting up of the seabed at the entrance and
the sand deposition had assumed alarming proportions. Hence, remodelling of the harbour
and construction of west quay berths, with transit sheds between them, together with the
closing of the eastern entrance by means of a vertical wall were taken up. Also
constructed was a wharf to handle passenger traffic, troop movement and import of horses
located on southern arm of the port and named it as south quay.
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In 1924 the southern breakwater was extended
by 700 feet to arrest the sand accretion that had begun to creep up north too. Another
ship berth called the south quay II was commissioned in 1936. On the west quay a berth was
added in 1942. With the sanction of Rs 3 croresin 1952 for the development of the Madras
Port in the Five Year Plans, things started looking up. Construction of the jetty and a
transit shed on the quay and alongside roads were completed in 1958. A 120-ton floating
self-propelled crane, 'Vaigai' was acquired to handle heavy lifts from port side
considerably added to the cargo handling capacity of the port. No wonder the total cargo
handling capacity doubled in 1966. Jawahar Dock (1964) and Bharathi Dock (1972) were
built.
The three distinct zones of the Chennai port
are Dr. Ambedkar Dock (inner harbour to handle passenger, general cargo and containers),
Jawahar Dock (to handle coal,fertiliser,other bulk and break bulk cargo)and Bharathi Dock
(outer harbour accommodates ore and oil handling system and a modern container terminal).
From a small trading post a century ago, The Chennai Port has travelled a long way today.
From handling 35 million tons of cargo to setting up a Satellite Port in Ennore, which is
yet to become functional, that can handle a further 40 million, it has printed its
footsteps on the shores of Maritime-history.
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