Government Ports are ports notified and developed by the State Government as a Multi User Multi Purpose port. These are historical ports and dates back to very old period. Development of these ports have taken place in a phased manner based on Government funding. Cuddalore and Nagapattinam Ports are riverine ports, where ships anchor in the midstream and cargo is loaded/unloaded through barges. Supervision of ferry service is undertaken at Kanyakumari and pilotage of small vessels through the Pamban pass is done at Pamban Port. Rameswaram port was catering to the Indo-Sri Lankan ferry service. There is no activity at Colachel Port.