News

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will officially dedicate the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala to the nation on Friday. Although the port began commercial operations nearly five months ago in December 2024, this will mark its formal commissioning.

Located near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, Vizhinjam is India’s first deepwater container terminal and the country’s first transshipment hub, a port where cargo is transferred from one ship to another for international shipping.

Senior Congress leader and MP Shashi Tharoor welcomed PM Modi upon his arrival in Thiruvananthapuram. "Despite delays at the dysfunctional Delhi airport, managed to land in Thiruvananthapuram in time to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in my constituency," the Congress MP wrote while sharing photos in which he was seen welcoming PM Modi with warm handshake.

"Looking forward to his official commissioning of Vizhinjam port, a project I have been proud to have been involved with since its inception," he wrote.

The Vizhinjam project, estimated at Rs 8,900 crore, started construction in December 2015 and is being developed in multiple phases. Phase-I is already operational, while the remaining phases are expected to be completed by December 2028.

The seaport is being developed under a public-private partnership between the Kerala government and Adani Ports and SEZ. So far, Rs 5,000 crore has already been invested, and Karan Adani, the managing director, recently announced plans to invest Rs 20,000 crore more in the project.

Former MD and CEO of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd, A S Suresh Babu, explained the tendering process that led to Adani winning the contract in 2015. “In 2014, the fourth tender was out, and almost five leading companies qualified in that tender. Only three of them purchased the tender documents,” he said.

“Finally, Adani submitted the price bid and the agreement was signed in September 2015,” Babu added. “It is a very good thing that we're getting an international transhipment port here. This is a project for India, and Adani is the concessionaire. I am sure that with their expertise, they'll be able to do a good job,” he told ANI.

In April 2025, the port welcomed the MSC Turkiye, the world’s largest eco-friendly container ship operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company. At nearly 400 metres in length, the ship marked Vizhinjam’s growing global relevance.

In February 2025, Vizhinjam ranked first among 15 ports in southern and eastern India in cargo handling, managing 78,833 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 40 vessels. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan hailed this growth as “a key step in our development journey.”

Discover the latest Business News, Budget 2025 News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!

${res.must_watch_article[0].headline}

Stock Market Holiday Jammu Kashmir News Live MI vs RR Live Score GST Collections in April Heatwave in India Q4 Results 2025 Live WB Madhyamik Result SSLC Result 2025 Kolkata News IPL Points Table 2025

Business Markets Stocks India News City News Economy Mutual Funds Personal Finance IPO News Startups

Home Currencies Commodities Pre-Market IPO Global Market Bonds

Home Loans up to 50 Lakhs Credit Cards Lifetime Free Finance TrackerNew Fixed Deposits Fixed Deposit Comparison Fixed Income

Home MC 30 Top Ranked Funds ETFs Mutual Fund Screener

Income Tax Calculator EMI Calculator Retirement Planning Gratuity Calculator

Stock Markets

News18 Firstpost CNBC TV18 News18 Hindi Cricketnext Overdrive Topper Learning

About Us Contact Us Advisory Alert Advertise with Us SupportDisclaimer Privacy Policy Cookie Policy Terms & Conditions Financial Terms (Glossary) Sitemap Investors

You are already a Moneycontrol Pro user.