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Thiruvananthapuram: In a major announcement pertaining to the expansion of Vizhinjam port, the Kerala government has confirmed that the second phase of expansion at the Vizhinjam International Port will begin in the second week of January.
Preparations for the upcoming phases of construction have already been completed.
The Rs 10,000-crore investment by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ) will significantly enhance the port’s infrastructure.
The 2.96-km breakwater will be lengthened by 920 m , taking its total stretch beyond 3.9 km. According to the revised contract, the phases II-IV must be completed by 2028, advancing the timeline from the original 2045 deadline.
The minister also announced that the temporary approach road has been completed and will be inaugurated in January, opening the way for road-based cargo transport. Vizhinjam recently received Inland Container Port/Depot (ICP) status, alongside ports in Gujarat and Kolkata, which will pave the way for new tourism facilities in collaboration with the tourism department.
To accommodate cruise ships, 50 hectares of land will be acquired for yard development, customs, security systems, and allied infrastructure, while dredging operations will be undertaken directly from the sea to support berth construction. Railway connectivity is also planned, with a 10.7-km track including a 9.2-metre tunnel.
Land acquisition to begin soon
Land acquisition is progressing and construction is expected to begin soon. Road connectivity to the national highway has already been approved, including a cloverleaf interchange to support large-scale business operations
Vizhinjam completed its first year of commercial operations on December 3. Against a target of 1 million containers, the port handled 1.325 million containers through 616 ships. As of Tuesday, 636 ships had docked, pushing the total to nearly 1.4 million containers.
The port became the first in India to handle more than 40 ultra-large container ships measuring 399 metres in length.
More than 155 ships exceeding 300 metres and 45 ships with drafts over 16 metres also arrived at Vizhinjam. The government earned Rs 97 crore in tax revenue from operations. A standout achievement has been Vizhinjam’s ability to attract vessels that had never docked in Asia before, including some of the world’s largest ships such as MSC Turkiye, MSC Irena and MSC Verona.
Ambitious plans
Existing 800-m berth to be extended by 1,200 m to create a 2,000-m berth, enabling multiple ultra-large vessels to load and unload simultaneously
Revised contract says phases II-IV must be completed by 2028, advancing it from the original 2045 deadline
