Vizhinjam Port: India's Largest in a Decade

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 28 (PTI) Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal on Tuesday said 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.

He hailed Vizhinjam as a "game-changer" for India's maritime industry, highlighting its natural deep-water advantages and strategic location near international shipping lanes, which enable it to handle the world's largest vessels.
Speaking at the Vizhinjam Conclave 2025 and Global Investment Summit held at the Hyatt Regency here, the Minister also emphasised the port's transformative potential in establishing India as a significant player in the global shipping and logistics market.

Organised by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation (KSIDC), in association with Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the summit brought together key stakeholders to discuss the port's strategic importance, an official statement said.

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 percent of India's container transshipment, challenging the dominance of ports like Colombo and Dubai, it said.

Balagopal further highlighted Vizhinjam's role in propelling Kerala toward becoming a one trillion dollar 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.

Industries Minister P Rajeeve, who presided over the gathering, described Vizhinjam as the "new gateway to India".

Highlighting Kerala's productivity despite its limited land area, which accounts for only 1.16 percent of the country's geographical size while contributing 4 percent to the national GDP, he outlined plans for a large-scale outer area growth corridor.

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, he noted.

CEO of Adani Ports SEZ, Pranav Choudhary unveiled an ambitious roadmap for transforming Vizhinjam International Seaport into a global maritime hub at the Vizhinjam Conclave 2025.


Tracing the port's journey from its inception in 2015 to the commencement of commercial operations in 2024, Choudhary highlighted its strategic importance in revolutionizing India's maritime logistics landscape.

“Vizhinjam is set to become one of the fastest-growing ports in South Asia,” he said, noting that the port, since its commercial launch, has handled 100 vessels and is expected to scale this number to 250 vessels in the near future.

MP Shashi Tharoor, Chief Secretary Sarada Muraleedharan and other higher officials took part in the conclave.