Vizhinjam Port Receives First Container Ship, Marking India’s Entry into Global Transshipment

Thiruvananthapuram: In a historic milestone, Adani Ports & SEZ’s Vizhinjam port in Kerala received its first mother ship, San Fernando, operated by Maersk, on July 12, 2024. This event marks India’s entry into the global transshipment industry and positions Vizhinjam as a critical player in international trade routes.

The port, inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and presided over by Minister V. N. Vasavan, is India’s first automated port with state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities. It can handle large ships and has modern container handling equipment and world-class automation and IT systems.

The San Fernando vessel will offload around 2,000 containers and facilitate 400 container movements within the vessel. Karan Adani, Managing Director of Adani Ports and SEZ Limited, highlighted Vizhinjam’s significance, stating that it is a symbol of a new era in Indian maritime history and will emerge as one of the most technologically sophisticated transshipment ports globally.

Vizhinjam will facilitate the movement of transshipment traffic into India and handle traffic along major routes connecting India, playing a critical role in international trade routes. The port is a critical economic infrastructure project promoted by the Government of Kerala in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) is the largest port developer and operator in India, with 15 ports and terminals on both the west and east coasts. The company aims to become the largest ports and logistics platform in the world in the next decade and has committed to emission reduction targets to control global warming at 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

Picture Source: Adani Group