2004 statistics, 11 percent of the containers arrived by train and the rest by road. Every month, nearly 150,000 container-laden vehicles (both import and export) transit through the port's only available gate (Zero Gate) at Royapuram, north of the port. Pipelines Crude is transported from oil tankers berthed at the port through a pipeline and then by road or rail. Since 1969, the port is connected to the Chennai Petroleum Corporation's (CPCL) refinery in Manali via a 30-inch-diameter pipeline running for a length of 17 km. CPCL is planning to replace this with 42-inch-diameter pipeline at a cost of 1,260 million along the proposed Quadrilateral Road Network from Chennai Port to Ennore-Manali Highway. However, citing threats to habitation, the government has refused clearance to the project. In September 2018, the port completed work on the 42-inch-diameter crude pipeline with a length of 17 km and a carrying capacity of around 5,000 KL per hour (against 2,600 KL of the old pipeline) at a cost of 2,500 million. Natural disasters The Indian Ocean Tsunami of 26 December 2004, one of the deadliest in the recorded history, had a devastating effect all over the region and, of course, damaged the port's infrastructure, including cranes, wharfs, moorings and some part of the ship channel and hindered the operations of the port for a brief period. Some of the ships hit the wharves close to where they were berthed. Other damages at the port include collision of three ships while being towed to deep sea resulting in the loss of about 1,500 tonnes of sugar and damages to some of the cars that awaited export. The port suspended operations for two days. The total damage to property, infrastructure and equipment at the port due to the tsunami stood at 129.6 million. Rebuilding the entry channels and affected areas incurred another 100 million. The port suffered a loss of 30 million due to operational halt on 26 and 27 December 2004, during which around 250,000 tonnes of container could not be serviced, with trade of 15 vessels on sail and 10 vessels at berth affected. This was in addition to the loss due to waiving of marine charges owing to the disaster. As a consequence of the tsunami, the port trust is planning to create an artificial beach from left of the Cooum river (next to the Napier bridge) right up to fishing harbour in