Cochin Port and DP World settle 15-year Vallarpadam terminal dispute

The Cochin Port Authority and DP World have reached a settlement to resolve a 15-year legal and commercial dispute regarding the operation of the International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT) at Vallarpadam. The agreement aims to provide operational clarity and strengthen the relationship between the port authority and the private operator, which could facilitate future investments in capacity and technology.

However, the resolution has met opposition from the Cochin Port Joint Trade Unions Forum. The forum is demanding transparency regarding a reported two-year extension granted to the terminal operator, India Gateway Terminal Pvt Ltd (a DP World entity). The unions have called for the public disclosure of the terminal’s throughput, capacity utilization, and revenue-sharing details, questioning whether the facility has met its original objectives of becoming a major international transshipment hub.