The Customs Establishment at Tuticorin has got a very long history. The Customs Operation started at Tuticorin in the year 1901 under the control of Chennai Custom House. The Port was mainly catering to Indo-Sri Lankan trade carried on through country boats (Thonies). 

The Customs building now situated in the Beach Road, opposite to old port was built in the year 1906. In the year 1971 the Customs unit at Tuticorin was upgraded as a Superintendent Unit and was known as ‘Office of the Superintendent of Customs Circle and Preventive’. Simultaneously, the charge of Tuticorin Customs was shifted from Chennai to newly formed Madurai Collectorate. In the year 1979, an Assistant Collector was posted to Tuticorin and he was in-charge of both Central Excise and Customs. In the year 1987, a separate Assistant Collector was posted for Customs and the Tuticorin Customs was attached to Trichy Customs Collectorate, which was by then newly formed. The Customs unit at Tuticorin was further upgraded as a Joint Commmissioner unit in 1992. In the year 2002, on November 1st, the unit was upgraded as a separate Commissionerate as per Notification No.36/2002-Cus (N.T), dtd.13.06.2002.

To keep up with the growth as a Commissionerate, an annexe building is being constructed adjacent to the existing building. The new building will have a carpet area of approx.2000 sqm and will consist of a ground and two floors. The total cost for the construction is approx. 3 crores. The building is expected to be completed by June 2003.

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Tuticorin is one of the Port cities in south India about 540 kms south west of Chennai and 135 Kms from Madurai in the State of Tamil Nadu. It is located in the Gulf of Mannar – Longitude - 78º13’ East on the east coast of India, Latitude 8º45’ North. 

Tuticorin became the bastion of the freedom struggle in the early 20th century. In 1906, one of the greatest freedom fighters of India, Shri.V.O.Chidambaram Pillai, launched the first swadeshi ship "S.S. Gaelia" in British India. After Independence, the Minor port of Tuticorin witnessed a flourishing trade and handled a variety of cargo meant for neighbouring countries like Sri lanka and Maldives apart from the trade of cargo between the coastal regions of India.

On July 11,1974, the newly constructed Tuticorin Port was declared as the 10th major port. On 1st April 1979, the erstwhile Tuticorin minor Port and the newly constructed Tuticorin major Port were merged and the Tuticorin Port Trust was constituted under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963. Tuticorin Port was the first Indian Port to be accredited with ISO 9002.

Tuticorin port is well equipped with a good infrastructure and has attracted many large industries like SPIC and Sterlite to set up their units in Tuticorin.

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