Vizhinjam is proud of Kerala when it comes to international revelations that Vizhinjam port is the 6th port in the world. Vizhinjam port marked prominently in world cargo movement map Vizhinjam became the dream beach of Kerala and the country when the first mothership from China touched the coast of San Fernando. Vizhinjam became the first transshipment port in the country. Ports where cargo can be transshipped from motherships to other smaller ships are known as transhipment ports.
The importance of geographical location has been assessed as increasing its potential to become the most important port in the world. It is estimated that the current geopolitical situation will create a more favorable environment for the movement of goods through Vizhinjam. The characteristic favorable factors provided by nature are pointed out as the greatest features of Vizhinjam. Vizhinjam port is only 10 nautical miles from the international shipping lane. If you calculate the distance in kilometers, it is only about 19 km. It is also the only port in India with a natural depth of more than 20 meters without dredging. Huge ships can approach here using this characteristic feature. Ships with a tonnage of over 24,000 TEUs can dock at Vizhinjam.
There is an important reason behind countries like UAE, Singapore and China rapidly becoming a major force in the world market – their mother ports. Motherports have a story to tell that has changed even the once non-existent countries. Many mother ports around the country have also helped China to become a major power in the world market. Products from China are quickly transported to most countries of the world by large ships. A major part of Singapore’s GDP is concentrated in its mother port. The mother port is also what made the UAE the center of attention in front of the world. Now Kerala too has got a similar possibility and hope.
A world-class motherport called Vizhinjam has huge development potential for India and hence for Kerala. Through Vizhinjam, like the city of Dubai, Kerala like Singapore will become a huge economic power that will be noticed by the world and will flow in crores, but only if everything is implemented correctly and efficiently. Leading ports in Asia are good examples of such implementation and success.
Vizhinjam Port is India’s first deepwater container transshipment port. The port has a natural draft of 18-20 meters, which means some of the world’s largest container ships can dock here. When fully operational, it is expected to compete with international ports like Colombo in Sri Lanka, Salalah in Oman and Singapore for container transshipment traffic. The natural water depth available at Vizhinjam port is greater than or equal to that of international ports. Adani Ports is developing the port with private participation on a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
Vizhinjam International Port, India’s first deep sea container transshipment port, is marking a new chapter in global maritime trade. This port in Kerala can put India on the global maritime trade map.
However, the port needs to cement its position by competing with port majors such as Colombo, Singapore, or Port Klang. A look at the infrastructure and technological prowess of these ports makes it clear that Vizhinjam still has a long way to go. For example, Singapore and Colombo ports handled 36.8 million TEUs (20ft equivalent units) and 6.85 million TEU containers in 2020, respectively. Whereas the expected capacity of Vizhinjam in the first phase is only 1 million.
Turnaround time for ships, one of the key parameters that determine a port’s competitiveness, was relatively high in India, mainly because of the complex customs clearance involved in the business. However, according to the latest data available, Indian ports achieved a ‘turnaround time’ of 0.9 days as per World Bank’s Logistics Performance Index Report 2023. It’s better than the US.
This is a Rs 7,500 crore project implemented by the Government of Kerala in association with the Adani Group through PPP mode, after the formation of SPV Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL). AVPPL entered into a concession agreement with the Kerala Ports Department on 17 August 2015 and commenced construction work on 5 December 2015.
The port also has the advantage of being located at the tip of the Indian coast, which makes it easy to connect with other ports in India. Discussions about Vizhinjam started during the VS Achuthanandan government, but the construction work started in 2015 during the last term of the Oommen Chandy government. At the same time, during the construction of the Vizhinjam port, which was estimated to create 5000 jobs, the local residents had come out with protests several times.
Tomorrow is the official welcome ceremony for the ship. Vizhinjam is being prepared as a Rs 7700 crore project. The San Fernando ship, which left China’s Xiamen port, reached the outer sea at midnight last night. Although the official reception is tomorrow, the containers will start being unloaded today. Mesk Line arrives at the company’s San Fernando port with more than 2,000 containers. Out of this, 1960 will be landed in Vizhinjam. The ship will return to Europe tomorrow evening with the rest of the containers.
The feeder vessels to load the containers will also arrive by tomorrow. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Ports Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and state ministers will officially receive the ship tomorrow. Adani Ports CEO Karan Adani will also attend the function. This trial run will continue for three months. Adani Ports has announced that the world’s largest ship of the Mediterranean Shipping Company will be launched in July itself.
Vizhinjam Port will become the country’s most important anchorage for shipping routes connecting distant regions like Europe, Persian Gulf, South East Asia, China and East Asian countries including Japan. Thiruvananthapuram International Airport is only 16 km from Vizhinjam port. Facilities for rail transport to Vizhinjam are also being prepared at Vizhinjam. With this, Vizhinjam will also gain the reputation of a port with favorable conditions for cargo movement by land, air and sea.
Once Vizhinjam is fully operational, it is estimated that more than 50 percent of the country’s international cargo movement will move here. At present, India relies on Singapore, Dubai and Colombo ports as transshipment ports for cargo movement. Once Vizhinjam becomes operational, the port will become an important transshipment hub for cargo movement into the country. Through this, it is expected that the country will get billions of rupees in foreign tax. Once the Vizhinjam harbor is fully operational, several motherships can anchor simultaneously.
Vizhinjam port will be implemented as a government private joint venture. Vizhinjam also has the distinction of being a port under the control of Kerala. Vizhinjam Port is managed by Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited and Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited. Adani Group has been entrusted with the management of the port for 40 years.
