Vizhinjam:
Marking a major milestone in India’s maritime ambitions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (May 2, 3035) officially dedicated the Vizhinjam International Seaport to the nation. Designed as an all-weather, deep-water port, Vizhinjam is strategically located just 10 nautical miles from key global shipping routes linking Europe, the Gulf, and the Far East, promising to significantly cut India’s reliance on foreign ports for cargo transshipment.
Arriving at the port around 10:30 a.m., PM Modi was welcomed by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his Cabinet. The Prime Minister toured the port’s critical facilities, boarding the MSC Celestinomaresca, and later visiting the Port Operations Building before the formal inauguration. The event opened with a solemn tribute by Mr. Vijayan paid tribute to the victims of the recent terror attack in Kashmir.
Vizhinjam is India’s first semi-automated port, aiming to reclaim transshipment business that currently goes to overseas hubs such as Colombo, Singapore, Salalah, and Dubai. Built to accommodate massive mother vessels up to 20,000 TEUs, the port’s deep natural draft—ranging from 18 to 20 meters just a kilometer offshore—makes it ideally suited for large-scale operations with minimal maintenance dredging and reduced operational costs.
Fitted with state-of-the-art automation, Vizhinjam boasts 24 fully automated yard cranes and 8 remotely controlled ship-to-shore cranes, enabling swift vessel turnaround and highly efficient operations.The port has showcased remarkable performance, handling over 5.93 lakh TEUs during trial phases and the initial months of commercial operation, exceeding its full installed capacity in an exceptionally short timeframe.
Highlighting its capability, Vizhinjam recently welcomed two of the world’s largest container ships—MSC Turkiye and MSC Claude Girardet—underscoring its status as a world-class transshipment hub. Despite numerous hurdles, including delays caused by natural disasters, protests, and the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2,960-meter breakwater—built to withstand the ocean’s might at depths of up to 20 meters—is celebrated as a remarkable feat of engineering.
With environmental clearance granted for the next phases of expansion, backed by a ₹9,560 crore investment commitment from Adani Ports, Vizhinjam is set to boost its annual capacity from 1 million TEUs to 3 million TEUs by 2028. The first phase alone represents a significant investment of ₹8,867 crore, with the Kerala government contributing ₹5,595 crore.
The commissioning ceremony saw attendance from key dignitaries, including Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Ministers of State George Kurien and Suresh Gopi, along with Adani Group chairman Gautam Adani and managing director Karan Adani, among other state and central officials.
