Chart 3025: Porto Novo anchorage 2.32 Porto Novo (locally known as Parangipettai), (11º 30'N, 79º 46'E) a town about 3 miles NW of Coleroon Point, lies on the N bank of Vellar River and about 1 mile within the mouth. The town was originally a Portuguese settlement. Trade is now confined to local craft and is of little importance. A white flagstaff stands on the north bank of Vellar River ¼ mile within the entrance. A Light is exhibited from a white round tower with red bands, 36m in Ht 7 .5 Cables N of the Flag Staff. Two white boundary pillars standing near the shore about ½ miles S of the town, are prominent landmarks. Cargo is handled by the small boats at a jetty opposite the Custom House and at anchorage. A shoal, on which the sea breaks heavily during the strength of the NE monsoon, extends about 2 miles offshore between the S mouth of Coleroon River and a position NE of Coleroon point. Porto Novo Lighthouse Porto Novo Light (11º 30'.2N, 79º 46'.2E) A light is exhibited from a 37m high white circular concrete tower with red bands, 7½ cables N of the flagstaff. 2.33 Anchorage. From about mid October to end December, anchorage may be obtained in depths of 16.5m about 3 miles offshore with the flagstaff bearing 270º. From the month of January onwards, when the NE winds become variable, during the SW monsoon or in settled weather, anchorage may be obtained closer inshore according to draught. During the first burst of the NE monsoon local craft avoid this port as Coleroon shoal lies leeward of the anchorage Supplies. Provisions in small quantities are available. Communication. The town of Porto Novo is connected to general rail, road and telegraph system. Storm Signals are shown from the Storm Signals Station close to the flagstaff; the brief system is used. The coast from Porto Novo to Cuddalore, 13 miles N, is low with a few sand hills which look like islets from the offing. PY-01 Oil Field. (Chart 357, 3025, 3029) The PY-01 Gas and Oilfield Development Area is owned and operated by Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Ltd (HOEC). The oil field extends over an area of 75 sq. km and is located about 10 miles East of Porto Novo Light and about 12 miles North of PY-03 oil field. The oil field contains the PY-01 basement gas field. Sun HOEC offshore oil platform exists at position (11° 30’.10 N, 79° 56’.05 E). Submarine pipe line runs about 25 miles south from Sun HOEC offshore oil platform to onshore gas processing plant located at Pillai Perumal Nallur Village in Nagapattinam district. 2 Limits. All the water area contained between the following points: 11°31'.27N, 79°52'.85E 11°33'.52N, 79°55'.08E 11°29'.88N, 80°00'.00E 11°26'.80N, 79°57'.33E (Photo Courtesy:HOEC)Sun HOEC Offshore Oil Platform (PY-01) 3 Contact details: Hindustan Oil Exploration Company Limited Lakshmi Chambers 192, St. Mary's Road Alwarpet, Chennai Tamilnadu - 600 018 Tel: 91 44 66229000 FAX: 91 44 66229011/66229012 Email: contact@hoec.com Web: www.hoec.com 4 Coleroon River flows into the sea by two mouths, one 10 miles and the other 13½ miles N of Tirumullaivasal. 5 Coleroon Point (11º 28´N, 79º 48´E) is the N end of a low sandy spit extending N between the two mouths; it is bare and hard to distinguish from sea ward. 6 Coleroon River Bridge has been reported to be a good Radar Target upto 24 nm from seaward. The four pagodas of the famous Nataraja Temple of Chidambaram about 8 miles SW of Coleroon Point are remarkable and can be distinctly seen over the trees, abreast the S mouth of Coleroon River. 7 Vellar River flows into the sea between high banks of 2½ miles NW of Coleroon Point and is navigable by local craft. Depths over the bar at its mouth are 0.9m in summer and 2.1m in winter post floods.