Vizhinjam International Seaport

Economic Affairs Infrastructure

16-Oct-23

Context: The under-construction Vizhinjam International Seaport receives its first ship. The Hong Kong-flagged vessel that had set sail from a port in Shanghai, China, became the first vessel to dock at Vizhijam Seaport, India's deepest harbour when it brought in three cranes.

About Vizhinjam Port

It will be country’s first deepwater container transshipment terminal.
It is a Rs 7,525 crore port, being built under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model with Adani Ports Private Limited at Vizhinjam near Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala set to be completed in 2024.
Vizhinjam is an all-weather port that lies south of Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Vizhinjam International Deep Water Multipurpose Seaport is a Greenfield port.
It is known as the ‘Port of the Future.’
It was laid in December 2015 and has since missed its completion deadline.
The port is to have 30 berths, and will be able to handle giant “megamax” container ships.

Significance

It is believed that the ultramodern port, located close to major international shipping routes, will boost India’s economy and its location is also of strategic importance.
The State government has made extensive preparations to receive the first ship at the Vizhinjam port, which is Kerala's proudest project.
Proximity to international shipping routes connecting Europe, the Gulf and East Asia.
Located on minimal littoral drift resulting in limited maintenance dredging.
Ideal location for fuel bunkering.
The port is expected to compete with Colombo, Singapore, and Dubai for a share of trans-shipment traffic.
The port’s advantages are “availability of a 20m contour within one nautical mile from the coast, minimal littoral drift along the coast, hardly any maintenance dredging required, links to national/regional road, rail network, and proximity to international shipping routes.
Since the ultramodern port is located close to major international shipping routes, it will boost India’s economy. It also satisfies the physical and hydrographical parameters of modern seaports.