Vizhinjam International Seaport Opens: Kerala To Lead India’s Global Shipping Charge

Today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially commission the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, a project that is poised to place India firmly on the global maritime map. The commissioning of the port is expected to significantly enhance India's role in international trade and shipping.

According to an NDTV report, the deep-water port has been developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), the largest port developer in India and a part of the Adani Group, under a public-private partnership. The development of the port comes at an estimated cost of Rs 8,867 crore.

Following a successful trial run, the port received its commercial commissioning certificate on 4th December 2024. The Kerala Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, took to X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday to highlight the significance of the project, saying, "Tomorrow marks a historic moment as Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Hon'ble Prime Minister of India, dedicates the Vizhinjam International Seaport to the nation."

Mr Vijayan further noted that the port project is the largest-ever state investment in any port in India, with two-thirds of the funding coming from the Kerala government. This reflects the state's commitment to economic development, he said.

The Vizhinjam port is not just another infrastructure project-it marks the beginning of a new era in India's maritime journey. It is India's first dedicated transhipment port and the country's first semi-automated port, positioning it as a critical player in global trade. The port's location, just 10 nautical miles from a vital international shipping route, and its naturally deep waters make it ideal for accommodating large cargo ships.

For years, India has relied on foreign ports like Colombo in Sri Lanka, where nearly 75 per cent of the country's transhipment containers were handled. This reliance resulted in considerable foreign exchange losses. With the operationalisation of Vizhinjam, a significant portion of that traffic is expected to return to India, benefiting the economy.

Kerala's government has provided the highest-ever investment from a state in India for the development of the port, including funding the full construction of the breakwater, which is crucial to the port's operations in all weather conditions. The breakwater at Vizhinjam, the deepest in India, stretches nearly three kilometres and stands 28 metres tall-equivalent to the height of a nine-storey building-making it a major engineering feat.

The port began trial operations on July 13, 2024, and by December 3, 2024, it started full commercial operations. During its trial phase, over 272 large vessels docked at Vizhinjam, handling more than 550,000 containers. The port is equipped with state-of-the-art, fully automated yard cranes and remotely operated ship-to-shore cranes, ensuring faster and safer operations.

In another first for India, Vizhinjam boasts an AI-powered Vessel Traffic Management System, developed with the support of IIT Madras. The signing of the Viability Gap Funding agreement has marked the completion of all formal steps for the first phase of the port's development, according to Chief Minister Vijayan.

By early 2025, Vizhinjam is expected to top the list of ports along India's southern and western coasts for container cargo handling, surpassing 100,000 TEUS (twenty-foot equivalent units) per month. A significant achievement came when the port hosted the MSC Turkey, one of the largest cargo ships ever to reach India.

Moreover, Vizhinjam has now been included in the Jade Service of MSC, the world's largest shipping company. The Jade Service connects Europe and Asia through South Africa's Cape of Good Hope, with Vizhinjam now becoming the main hub for this important shipping route in South Asia. This inclusion highlights the port's growing global importance and its ability to handle high-capacity cargo.

MSC, which includes only top-capacity ports in its key services, has added Vizhinjam to its route during its trial phase, marking a major achievement. Ships in the Jade Service will now sail from Singapore to Vizhinjam before continuing to ports in Spain and Italy. This development will ensure that more containers will be directly handled at Vizhinjam, making it an even more vital gateway for trade.

Looking ahead, by 2028, the second phase of the port's construction will be completed, expanding its annual capacity to at least 3 million TEUS. This phase will involve an investment of Rs 10,000 crore, which will be fully funded by Adani Ports.

Vizhinjam is also being developed as a multi-modal hub, with direct road access to National Highway 66 and Kerala's first cloverleaf interchange to accommodate future cargo growth. In the near future, a railway link connecting the port to the national network will begin construction.

With these developments, the Vizhinjam International Seaport is set to become a key trade gateway in South Asia and a powerful symbol of India's growing maritime strength.