Tuna Port was developed during mid-eighteenth century by Rao of
Cutch State.
Fateh Mohammad (1786–1813), who served as regent of
Cutch State had further developed the existing facilities at
Mandvi, Tuna and
Lakhpat ports, when he was appointed as regent during reign of Rao
Rayadhan III of Kutch. There is a village by same name Tuna near the port from which Tuna Port got its name. North, shows the
Cutch State Railway's narrow gauge line connecting
Bhuj with Tuna via
Anjar. Note there is no mention of
Kandla, as it was developed only after 1930. In year 1900-01 during the reign of
Jadeja King
Maharao Shri Khengarji Bawa (1875–1942), the first railway lines from Tuna Port to Anjar were laid by narrow gauge line of
Cutch State Railway,a railway promoted & owned by Princely State of Cutch. The first train from Tuna Port to Anjar ran in year 1905. The line was in 1908 extended to
Bhuj, then the Capital of Princely State of Cutch. This rail-line from Tuna to Anjar, no longer exists. However, there are plans to again revive the railway link again. Later, during decade of 1930, Tuna Port lost its importance, when Maharao Shri Khengarji III of Kutch, identified the location of present the
Kandla Port and developed it as a new port. A new railway line connecting
Anjar to Kandla were also laid by Cutch State Railway. After the partition and independence of
India and merger of Cutch into Union of India in 1947, in 1950
Kandla Port was selected by the
Government of India to be developed as major port to replace the loss of
Karachi, which went to
Pakistan. The Kandla Railway Station was later renamed
Gandhidham after the new town of same name was developed for the re-settlement of
Sindhi refugees, who migrated from Pakistan upon Partition. Tuna Port is operated by the
Kandla Port Trust. The Trust decided to develop Tuna as a satellite port in Kutch to compete with the nearby privately owned
Mundra Port operated by
Adani Group. This is the second port after
Vadinar Port to be developed by Kandla Port Trust. The new port was initially built as a coal importing terminal and commissioned in 2015 with an annual handling capacity of over 20 million tonnes. Tuna Port was initially operated by the Kandla Port Trust. Currently, Tuna Port is operated by
Adani Group by Adani Kandla Bulk Terminal Private Limited. ==Connectivity==