Today, Vizhinjam International Seaport will be formally opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, strengthening Kerala’s place on the worldwide maritime map.
The port in the Thiruvananthapuram district is projected to change India’s position in global shipping and trade. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), the largest port developer in India and a member of the Adani Group, created the deep-water port in a public-private collaboration.
The expected cost of the project’s completion was Rs 8,867 crore. On December 4 of last year, the port was granted its commercial commissioning certificate after a successful trial run. On Thursday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan posted on ‘X’ that “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.” “The state’s strong commitment to development is shown by this historic project, which is the greatest state investment in any port in the nation, with the Government of Kerala bearing two-thirds of the cost. “The commissioning of Vizhinjam port marks the beginning of a new chapter in India’s maritime journey, placing the nation firmly on the global map,” Mr. Pinarayi Vijayan stated.
Previously, he stated that this marks not just the opening of a new port but also the start of a new age that will strengthen Indian logistics and trade internationally.
The first semi-automated port in India and a dedicated transshipment port is Vizhinjam. Its naturally deep waters make it perfect for huge cargo ships, and it is only 10 nautical miles from a major international shipping route. Up until now, Colombo Port in Sri Lanka handled almost 75% of India’s transshipment containers, resulting in large income and foreign exchange losses. It is anticipated that a large portion of that traffic will return to India via Vizhinjam.
The largest investment ever made by an Indian state government was transferred to the port. Two-thirds of the project’s overall cost, including the whole cost of constructing the breakwater—a crucial component of the infrastructure that guarantees the port runs well in all weather conditions is being covered by the Kerala government. The roughly three-kilometer-long breakwater at Vizhinjam is the deepest in India. It is a significant feat of engineering at 28 meters high, which is equivalent to the height of a nine-story structure.
On July 13, 2024, trial operations were taking place and on December 3, 2024, full commercial operations got underway. Over 550,000 containers were handled and over 272 large vessels docked at the port during the three-month trial period. For quicker and safer operations, Vizhinjam has remotely operated ship-to-shore cranes and completely automated yard cranes. Additionally, it has India’s first in-house AI-powered Vessel Traffic Management System, which was created in collaboration with IIT Madras.
According to the Chief Minister, all official procedures for the project’s initial phase have been finished with the signature of the Viability Gap Funding agreement. With over 100,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) handled monthly, Vizhinjam topped the list of ports on India’s western and southern coasts for container cargo handling in early 2025.
When Vizhinjam berthed the MSC Turkey, one of the biggest cargo ships to ever arrive in India, it was a significant milestone. The addition of Vizhinjam to the Jade Service of MSC, the biggest shipping business in the world, is another noteworthy milestone. Through the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, this important shipping route links Europe and Asia.
In order to accommodate future cargo expansion, Vizhinjam is also being built as a multimodal hub, with direct road connection to National Highway 66 and Kerala’s first cloverleaf interchange. Soon, work will start on a railway link that will connect the port to the national network. According to Pinarayi Vijayan, Vizhinjam is poised to become a significant South Asian commerce hub and a proud representation of India’s increasing maritime might as a result of these achievements.