Adani Vizhinjam Port Set to Become India's Largest: Kerala Ministers
Kerala Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal said the Vizhinjam International Seaport, operated by Adani Ports, will be the largest port in India in the next decade. Speaking at the Vizhinjam Conclave 2025 and Global Investment Summit in Thiruvananthapuram, Balagopal said the port would play a transformative role in enhancing India's position in global shipping and logistics.
The summit was hosted by the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation in collaboration with the Trivandrum Chamber of Commerce and Industry, with several stakeholders being invited to deliberate on the strategic importance of the port and future growth. Balagopal stated that the Vizhinjam port will have deep water up to 18-25 meters depth, located very close to the international shipping lane. It can house some of the largest vessels of the world. In that context, it can help to redefine the maritime sector in India.
Currently, Vizhinjam already handles a million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in container traffic. However, this capacity is going to be upped to about 6.2 million TEUs and thereby capable of handling 15 percent of India's container transshipment traffic in the near future, which puts it right in direct competition with established ports like Colombo or Dubai.
Balagopal also mentioned that Vizhinjam's development is part of Kerala's strategy to be a $1 trillion economy. He noted the state's infrastructure: four international airports, two major seaports, 17 minor ports, and an inland navigation network that spreads over the length and breadth of the state. To improve the connectivity of the port, the Kerala Maritime Board, along with private partners, will establish logistics parks and develop the adjacent ports. There is a proposed 70 km outer growth corridor from Vizhinjam to Navaikulam with industrial clusters, plug-and-play infrastructure intended to attract investment.
State Industries Minister P. Rajeev described Vizhinjam as India's new gateway to global trade. He pointed out that Kerala had done very well in converting its geographical disadvantage into an advantage by contributing 4 percent to the national GDP despite occupying only 1.16 percent of India's land area. The outer growth corridor will have residential, commercial, and industrial zones integrated together to facilitate cooperation among political leaders, bureaucracies, and industries to create an investment-friendly environment.
Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor hailed the project as a historic milestone, as Vizhinjam has been an important port since the Sangam era in the 4th century. He pointed out the cruise terminal planned for the port, which will take it beyond being just a transshipment hub and transform it into a significant tourism destination. Tharoor further added that this development will prove beneficial for Kerala and the southern part of Tamil Nadu as local products hit international markets and industrial growth occurred.
