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Evolution of Cochin Port

It is believed that the Cochin Port was formed in AD 1341 as a result of the heavy floods in the river Periyar. The then harbour Muziris got silted up during the floods and a new opening formed at Cochin. Thereafter, Cochin was developed as a trading hub and visited by several international travellers. Colonial conquerors having trading interest administered the Kochi area for centuries.
The transformation of Cochin from a mere roadstead into a modern harbour is credited to Sir Robert Bristow, the harbour engineer who implemented the decision of the then rulers by creating a proper shipping channel by cutting the sand bar at the mouth of the harbour, during his two decades stint at Cochin (1920-1941).
The first ship entered the Cochin harbour on 26th May 1928. Thereafter, road-rail networks were introduced to Cochin, connecting important inland trading points, making the harbour the important trading hub on the Kerala coast.

  1. 1341
  2. 1400
  3. 1500
  4. 1503
  5. 1663
  6. 1795
  7. 1836
  8. 1859
  9. 1870
  10. 1880
  11. 1900
  12. 1904
  13. 1915
  14. 1918
  15. 1920
  16. 1921
  17. 1922
  18. 1924
  19. 1926
  20. 1928
  21. 1929
  22. 1930
  23. 1936
  24. 1939
  25. 1948
  26. 1953
  27. 1955
  28. 1956
  29. 1959
  30. 1964
  31. 1966
  32. 1969
  33. 1973
  34. 1978
  35. 1979
  36. 1981
  37. 1984
  38. 1985
  39. 1992
  40. 1994
  41. 1995
  42. 1996
  43. 2001
  44. 2007
  45. 2010
  46. 2012
  47. 2013
  48. 2025

  1. 1341

    Closure of the ancient port of Muziris and widening of Cochin Gut.

  2. 1400

    Visit of Ma Huan, Chinese Ambassador and Nicolo Conti,Italian traveller.

  3. 1500

    Arrival of Portuguese Admiral Cabral

  4. 1503

    Foundation stone laid for the first Portuguese Fortress in India.

  5. 1663

    Capture of Cochin by the Dutch.

  6. 1795

    The Dutch surrendered to the British.

  7. 1836

    First chart of Cochin harbour made.

  8. 1859

    Arrival of Captain Castor, first Port Officer

  9. 1870

    Aspinwall's memorandum suggesting developing a sheltered harbour in Cochin.

  10. 1880

    Chamber of Commerce to Duke of Buckingham.

  11. 1900

    Memorandum by Cochin Chamber of Commerce to Lord Curzon, Viceroy and Governor-General of India.

  12. 1904

    Chamber of Commerce offer to finance experimental dredging.

  13. 1915

    Alan Campbell's proposal to extend the railway line to Candle Island via Bolghatty, to reclaim land and build deep water piers there.

  14. 1918

    Report of Sir John Wolfe Barry & Partners.

  15. 1920

    Arrival of Sir Robert Bristow

  16. 1921

    Approval for experimental dredging

  17. 1922

    Experimental cut on outer bar started.

  18. 1924

    Approval of Third Stage

  19. 1926

    Commissioning of dredger "Lord Willingdon'.

  20. 1928

    Sand bar at the mouth of the harbour cut open.

  21. 1929

    Widening of channel completed.

  22. 1930

    Port thrown open for vessels up to 30ft draft.

  23. 1936

    Administration of Cochin Harbour taken over by the Government of India under the Major Port Trusts Act.

  24. 1939

    Braunfels, the first ocean-going ship to berth alongside Mattancherry Wharf.

  25. 1948

    SS Bharat Kumar, the first vessel to berth in the expanded Mattancherry Wharf.

  26. 1953

    SS Jayabrahma, the first vessel berthed alongside South Coal Berth.

  27. 1955

    Commissioning of the North Tanker Jetty.

  28. 1956

    First tanker SS British Fortune berthed alongside South Tanker Jetty.

  29. 1959

    Commissioning of North Coal Berth.

  30. 1964

    Commissioning of Ernakulam Wharf.

  31. 1966

    Experimental loading of palletised cargo started.

  32. 1969

    Open berth Q9 commissioned.

  33. 1973

    President Tyler, first container vessel to enter any Indian Port, berthed in Ernakulam Wharf.

  34. 1978

    Cochin Fisheries Harbour (first stage) commissioned.

  35. 1979

    Container Freight Station inaugurated.

  36. 1981

    Commencement of work on Integrated Development Project.

  37. 1984

    Dedicated fertilizer berth commissioned.

  38. 1985

    Preliminary report on Vallarpadam Mother Terminal was handed over to Government of India.

  39. 1992

    Container Freight Station commissioned.

  40. 1994

    Dock Labour Board merged with Cochin Port Trust.

  41. 1995

    Dedicated container handling facility 'Rajiv Gandhi Container Terminal' commissioned.

  42. 1996

    The New Administrative Office opened.

  43. 2001

    Boat Train Pier (BTP) reconstructed as 330m long Multi Purpose Berth

  44. 2007

    Offshore Crude Oil handling facility (SBM) commissioned.

  45. 2010

    Commencement of first phase of International Container Transshipment Terminal, Vallarpadam with 1 million TEU capacity. A four lane NH and a new link rail to the national rail grid from the Terminal created.

  46. 2012

    LNG Regasification Terminal commissioned. First LNG vessel MV Wilenergy berthed.

  47. 2013

    Samudrika – cruise passenger facilitation centre commissioned.

  48. 2025

    an arrangement or occurrence (as of past events) in time

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