Indian Government to Commission Vizhinjam Port, Boosting India's Global Trade

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the Vizhinjam International Seaport tomorrow, May 2, at 11:00 AM, marking a historic milestone in India’s maritime infrastructure. Located near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, this Rs 8,900 crore project is India’s first deepwater container transshipment hub, poised to transform the nation’s role in global sea trade.

Built with the Adani Group, Vizhinjam is perfectly placed, just 11 nautical miles from key international shipping routes that handle nearly a third of the world’s cargo. Its 20-meter depth means it can welcome the biggest ships out there, cutting India’s need to rely on foreign ports like Colombo or Singapore for transferring cargo. This could save India around Rs 2,500 crore every year by making shipping faster and cheaper.

Since its trial run kicked off in July 2024, Vizhinjam has been a standout, handling nearly 6 lakh TEUs (a measure of cargo containers) across 285 ships. It earned its commissioning certificate in December 2024 and is already outshining some global competitors. Kerala’s Ports Minister, V.N. Vasavan, said the port can manage 30 lakh TEUs a year and could even hit 45 lakh with its current pace.

The project, originally budgeted at Rs 8,867 crore, was funded by Rs 5,595 crore from the Kerala government and Rs 2,454 crore from the Adani Group, with plans for another Rs 20,000 crore investment. With its cutting-edge, semi-automated setup and ability to dock giant ships like the MSC Türkiye, Vizhinjam is putting Kerala on the global trade map.

Modi will arrive in Thiruvananthapuram tonight and head to Vizhinjam by helicopter tomorrow morning for the 11:00 AM ceremony. With 2,000 police officers ensuring safety, the event is set to be a big moment. The port’s launch is a huge step toward making India a logistics powerhouse and a key player in international trade, bringing the dream of a developed India closer.