India’s Maritime Leap: PM Modi Set to Commission Vizhinjam Port, Kerala’s Gateway to Global Trade

Prime Minister Narendra Modi touched down in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday night to inaugurate the Vizhinjam International Seaport on Friday, May 2, a day that will dramatically change India's maritime landscape. The ₹8,867-crore seaport, built under public-private partnership with Adani Ports, is the first semi-automatic deepwater container transshipment center in India and is set to change the direction of the nation's participation in international trade.

Key Highlights:

Strategic Significance: Just 10 nautical miles off international shipping routes, Vizhinjam's natural depth of 20+ meters enables it to accommodate ultra-large ships, cutting India's dependence on overseas ports such as Colombo.

Economic Impact: Set to save billions in foreign exchange by bringing back 75% of India's transshipment cargo currently processed overseas.

Scale & Capacity: Phase 1 has a capacity to handle 1 million TEUs a year, expanding to 6.2 million TEUs. Trial operations since July 2024 have already processed 593,000 TEUs from 285 vessels.

State-Centre Cooperation: The Kerala state government contributed two-thirds of the cost, including a 3-km breakwater-India's deepest at 28 meters.

Operational Milestones: Received commercial commissioning certification in December 2023; MSC Turkiye, one of the world's largest container ships, berthed in April 2025.

Modi will land by helicopter from Pangode Military Camp on Friday morning, take stock of operations, and inaugurally dedicate the port at 11 AM. The function will be graced by CM Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Ministers, and local leaders like Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor.

Sources: Kerala Kaumudi, Mathrubhumi, ANI, The Economic Times, The New Indian Express, Times of India.