Vizhinjam projected to handle 15% of India’s container transshipment, says Balagopal

Finance minister K.N. Balagopal and Industries Minister P. Rajeeve at Vizhinjam Conclave 2025 and Global Investment Summit in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: NIRMAL HARINDRAN

Vizhinjam is poised to become India’s largest port within the next decade, setting a new benchmark in the nation’s maritime and port trade, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has said. Speaking after inaugurating the Vizhinjam Conclave 2025 and Global Investment Summit held at the Hyatt Regency on Tuesday, he hailed Vizhinjam as a game-changer for India’s maritime sector, underscoring its natural deep-water capabilities, with depths ranging from 18 to 25 m, and its proximity to international shipping lanes, which allow it to accommodate the world’s largest vessels.

Currently capable of handling one million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), the port is expected to expand its capacity to 6.2 million TEUs in the future. With this growth, Vizhinjam is projected to manage 15% of India’s container transshipment, challenging the dominance of ports like Colombo and Dubai. He further highlighted Vizhinjam’s role in propelling Kerala toward becoming a $1 trillion economy, supported by the State’s robust infrastructure, including air connectivity through four international airports, two major seaports, and 17 minor ports, as well as a vast inland navigation network.

Outer growth corridor

Efforts to complement the port’s development include plans by the Kerala Maritime Board and private stakeholders to establish logistics parks and modernise existing ports. An outer growth corridor spanning 70 km from Vizhinjam to Navaikulam will house industrial clusters with plug-and-play infrastructure to attract investors, he said.

Industries Minister P. Rajeeve, who also presided over the conclave, highlighted Kerala’s productivity despite its limited land area, which accounts for only 1.16% of the country’s geographical size while contributing 4% to the national GDP. Outlining plans for a large-scale outer area growth corridor, he said the project aims to address land constraints by pooling resources to create residential, commercial, and industrial zones, ensuring a conducive environment for investors through seamless collaboration between political leadership, bureaucracies, and the industrial sector.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor speaks at the Vizhinjam Conclave 2025 and Global Investment Summit in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Shashi Tharoor, MP noted that Vizhinjam has been a bustling port since the Sangam period in the 4th century. Adding a cruise terminal would elevate Vizhinjam’s status beyond a transshipment hub, turning it into a major tourism destination, he said. This development, he said, would benefit not only Kerala but also the southern tip of Tamil Nadu, enabling local products and services to reach the global market and fostering the growth of industries in the region. The summit organised by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), in association with Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry will conclude on Wednesday (January 28, 2025).

Published – January 28, 2025 06:50 pm IST

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