Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially commission the Vizhinjam International Seaport on Friday, placing Kerala firmly on the global maritime map.
The port is expected to transform India’s role in global trade and shipping. The deep-water port has been developed by Adani Ports & Special Economic Zone, part of the Adani Group, under a public-private partnership.
The project was completed at an estimated cost of Rs 8,867 crore. Following a successful trial run, the port received its commercial commissioning certificate on December 4 last year.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said this is not just the opening of a new port, but the beginning of a new era that will give Indian trade and logistics a stronger global presence.
Vizhinjam is India’s first dedicated transshipment port and also the country’s first semi-automated port. It sits just 10 nautical miles from a key international shipping route and has naturally deep waters, making it ideal for large cargo ships.
Until now, about 75 per cent of India’s transshipment containers were handled by Colombo Port in Sri Lanka, leading to significant forex and revenue losses.
Vizhinjam is expected to bring much of that traffic back to India.