The Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project proposes linking the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka by creating a shipping canal

Sethu Samudram is the sea that separates Tamil Nadu, India from Sri Lanka. It encompasses the Gulf of Mannar the Palk Strait, and a shoal of islands and bays that separate them called Adam's Bridge.

The sea is quite shallow, with a depth of less than 10 meters across most of its extent. Much of its seabed consists of limestone rock. It formed part of a land bridge that joined Sri Lanka to the continent of Asia during the last ice age.

The Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project proposes linking the Palk Bay and the Gulf of Mannar between India and Sri Lanka by creating a shipping canal

The coast of India does not have a continuous navigation channel connecting the east and west coasts.  Currently the ships coming from the west coast of India and other western countries with destination in the east coast of India and also in Bangladesh, China etc have to navigate around Srilankan coast.  The existing water way is shallow and not sufficient for the movement of ships.  This is due to the presence of a shallow region known as Adam’s bridge, located southeast of Rameswaram near Pamban, which connects the Talimannar Coast of Srilanka.

 Due to these factors, the ships originating from west of India and destined for Chennai, Ennore, Vishakapatnam, Paradeep, Haldia and Kolkata have to travel around Srilankan coast resulting in increase of travel distance and time.  Apart from these ships belonging to Indian Navy and Coast Guard need also to traverse around Srilanka.

In order to reduce the steaming distances between the East and West Coast of India and to improve the navigation within territorial waters of India, a navigation channel connecting the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Bay through north of Adam's Bridge has been envisaged  so that the ships moving between the east and west coasts of India need not go around Sri Lanka.

Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project envisages dredging of a ship channel across the Palk straits between India and Srilanka.  The project will alllow ships sailing between the east and west costs of India to have a straight passage through India's territorial waters, instead of having to circumvent Sri Lanka.  This will lead to a saving of upto 424 nautical miles (780 Km) and upto to 30 hours in sailing time.

Two channels will be created - one across north of Adam's Bridge (the chain of islets and shallows linking India with Sri Lanka)  South - east of Pamban Island and another through the shallows of Palk Bay, deepening the Palk straits.  The total length of these two channels would be 89 Kms.

Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project was often described as 150 years of Tamil's Dream that will bring in Economic prospects to the costal districts of Tamil Nadu. Development of the canal and ports is also expected to provide increased maritime security for Tamil Nadu.

Salient Features of Channel

Two way channel
Bottom Width of Channel = 300 m
Depth of Channel = -12 CD
Permissible Draft of Vessel = 10m
Permissible Speed of Vessel in Channel = 8 Knots
Navigation by day and night
Over all length of Channel = 167 Km
Dredged Channel at north of Adam’s Bridge = 35Km
Dredged Channel at Palk Strait = 54 Km

Maximum Vessel Size
      Length = 215 m,  Breadth = 33 m,  Draft = 10 m