On Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi officially opened the Vizhinjam seaport in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. This new port, built by Adani Ports, is India’s first deep-water port specifically made for container ships, which can help India compete better in global shipping.
What Makes Vizhinjam Special?
– Partnership Model: The port was developed using a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) approach, which means both the government and private companies work together to build it.
– Investment and Capacity: The project cost ₹8,867 crore and can handle up to 5 million container units (TEUs) every year. It started operations in July and has already received around 250 container ships.
– Future Growth: There are plans for an extra investment of over ₹8,500 crore to increase the port’s capacity even more.
– Great Location: The port is close to international shipping lanes and has a natural depth of 20 meters, allowing it to accommodate larger ships that cannot dock elsewhere in India. Many big ships have been going to ports in Colombo, Dubai, and Singapore instead of India.
– Cost Savings: By using this port instead of going to Colombo, shipping companies could reduce their costs. Vizhinjam port can also serve as a hub for goods heading to major markets like the US, Europe, Africa, and East Asia.
Afaq Hussain, a director at a research consultancy, believes that Vizhinjam port will be very important for India’s international trade. He said it could help lower risks for Indian exports and imports as trade with other countries grows. If everything goes as planned and the port runs fully by 2028–29, it could greatly improve the movement of goods across Adani’s network of ports in India.
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