Vizhinjam International Seaport: PM Modi To Commission India's First Dedicated Container Transshipment Port

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will commission the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport in Kerala today (2 May).

The port in Thiruvananthapuram district is expected to transform India's role in international trade and shipping.

According to a PMO release, the Rs 8,900 crore Vizhinjam seaport project is country's first dedicated container transshipment port.

The deep-water port has been developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India's largest port developer and part of the Adani Group, under a public-private partnership.

Following a successful trial run, the port received its commercial commissioning certificate on December 4 last year.

The Vizhinjam port is also the country's first semi-automated port.

The port sits just 10 nautical miles from a key international shipping route and has naturally deep waters, making it ideal for large cargo ships, NDTV reported.

Until now, about 75 per cent of India's transshipment containers were handled by Colombo Port in Sri Lanka, leading to significant losses in foreign exchange and revenue. Vizhinjam is expected to bring much of that traffic back to India.

India has so far depended on Sri Lanka’s Colombo Port to handle nearly 75 per cent of its transshipment containers—resulting in major losses in revenue and foreign exchange. Vizhinjam is expected to reverse this by bringing much of that traffic back home.

Vizhinjam will be India’s first port to feature a home-built, AI-powered Vessel Traffic Management System—developed in collaboration with IIT Madras. It’s also equipped with fully automated yard cranes and remotely operated ship-to-shore cranes to ensure faster and safer operations.

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