PM Modi to commission Vizhinjam Port tomorrow marking India’s big leap in global sea trade

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissions India’s first deep-sea international transhipment port at Vizhinjam in Kerala tomorrow, the country will open a new chapter in maritime history and global sea trade.

In the ₹8,867 crore first phase, developer and operator Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL) has constructed a 3,000-metre breakwater and an 800-metre container berthing facility. 

This phase can handle one million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) of containers. The Adani Group spent ₹2,454 crore, while the Central Government provided Viability Gap Funding (VGF) of ₹617.8 crore. The Kerala Government is contributing ₹5,595 crore towards connectivity and rail infrastructure.

Upon completion in four phases by 2028–29, with a total investment exceeding ₹20,000 crore, the seaport will have the capacity to handle 6.2 million TEUs, meeting nearly half of India’s container transhipment needs. Adani is expected to invest ₹9,000 crore in the remaining phases.

Vizhinjam has already emerged as one of the largest ports receiving mother vessels on the global trade map, equipped with full-scale transhipment capabilities. Located just 10 nautical miles (19 km) from the international shipping channel, it enjoys a major locational advantage—by comparison, Colombo is 30 nautical miles away, and India’s largest port, Mundra, is 250 nautical miles from the route.

The port began commercial operations on December 3 last year. Since then, 285 ships have berthed at Vizhinjam, handling 5.80 TEUs. These include some of the world’s largest container carriers, such as San Fernando, Claude Girardet, and MSC Türkiye—the largest container vessel ever to dock in India.

Strategic Advantages

Currently, 75% of India’s maritime trade is transhipped through ports like Colombo, Salalah (Oman), Jebel Ali (Dubai), and Singapore. India spends an estimated $200–220 million annually on transhipment. Long-distance cargo movement via direct shipping is often prohibitively expensive and inefficient. Hence, transhipment hubs—where cargo from various countries is consolidated and redistributed using mother and feeder vessels—play a crucial role. Major global hubs include Singapore, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, and Busan. Singapore alone handles nearly 20% of global TEU transhipment. Its strategic location and efficiency make it highly attractive to global shipping lines.

“Vizhinjam is set to divert a significant portion of India’s transhipment cargo from ports like Colombo, Singapore, and Dubai, helping retain India’s traffic while reducing costs and transit times,” Karan Adani, Managing Director of APSEZ , told Fortune India. He added that Vizhinjam’s natural depth, efficient design, cutting-edge technology, and advanced machinery will enable it to establish a firm presence in global sea trade.

A Natural Port

Vizhinjam’s natural depth exceeds 20 metres, enabling it to accommodate even the world’s largest Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) like MSC Türkiye without extensive dredging—a key advantage over most other Indian ports. In comparison, JNPT has a depth of 14 metres, Mundra 17 metres, Kochi 14 metres, and Chennai 16 metres. Most mother vessels globally require a draft of only 15 to 18 metres. Moreover, the seabed at Vizhinjam is composed of natural granite, significantly reducing the need for costly dredging. The Indian government currently spends between ₹1,000–2,000 crore annually on dredging at domestic ports.