V O Chidambaranar Port Authority the earliest mention has been made in 88 AD in Greek work "Periuplus of the Erythrean Sea". In AD 124, the earliest reference was made by Ptolemy who has observed - "Country of Kareoi, in the Kolkhic Gulf, where there is a pearl fishery, Sosikourai and Kolkhoi, and emporium at the mouth of the river Solan". There is little doubt that Ptolemy's Sosikuorai is no other place than Tuticorin. From AD 200 to AD 1000, no records pertaining to Tuticorin are available. However, the Tamil Literature of the period, Thevaram, Seevaha Chinthamani and Periyapuranam mention the pearls but ignore the source. James Harnell in his report to the Govt. of Madras has highlighted the Indian Pearl Fisheries of the Gulf of Mannar discussed about Tuticorin. Although in Tamilnadu, there is a mention of Ports like Korkai, Puhar etc.

V O Chidambaranar Port Authority in 1675 are graphic and valuable. The lucrative pearl fishery that flourished under the Dutch is vouchsafed by Jean De Lacome. The English East India Company took over the administration of Tuticorin and its other dependent cities like Kayalpattinam, Punnakayal, Manapad etc. on the 1st June 1825.

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