Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram

The Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram (VIST)(Malayalam:വിഴിഞ്ഞം അന്താരാഷ്ട്ര തുറമുഖം തിരുവനന്തപുരം) locally known as Vizhinjam Seaport is India's first deep-water mega container transshipment port, which is under construction. It is a multi-purpose,all-weather, green port located 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) away from the Trivandrum International Airport at Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, the capital city of Kerala. It is also the first automated port in India and the sole port in the country to be located adjacent to an international shipping route. Being a greenfield seaport, it provides flexibility in design and future expansion. The seaport will be connected by India's third-longest railway tunnel, presently under construction phase.

It possesses the capability to host world's massive cargo ships such as vessels of the ULCS container ships like the MSC Irina. The cruise berth being constructed along the break water can accommodate the world's largest luxury cruise ships for docking, such as the Icon of the Seas, as of the year 2023. The seaport has a natural depth of 18 meters and is located just 10 nautical miles away from the busiest international east-west shipping channel connecting Europe, Persian Gulf, and the Far East. The port's strategic location, as the only Indian port in close proximity to an international shipping channel, ensures easy access to global trade networks. When fully commissioned,it is expected that the seaport may have the capacity to cater to 50 percent of the container transhipment needs of India that currently take place at Dubai, Colombo and Singapore. The first phase of the project amounts to 7,700 crore Indian rupee, and the combined cost of all four phases, including the remaining three, is 20,000 crore making the total cost 27,700 crore. The Vizhinjam Seaport project is the first and only port project in India to receive VGF funding.

There is no littoral sedimentation and due to natural depth availability, the site needs minimal capital dredging requirements. Each berth has the capacity to handle 18,000 TEU. The Port is located on the Arabian Sea – Laccadive Sea – Indian Ocean and the first phase is expected to be commissioned in Dec 2024. It is a state owned port, owned by the Government of Kerala and will be operated by the Adani Group for a period of 40 years.

Vizhinjam Seaport Thiruvananthapuram is expected to have an impact on existing cargo movement to other ports and will cater to transshipment. The majority of containers originating from or destined for India are typically transshipped or subjected to double handling at international ports such as Colombo in Sri Lanka, Salalah in Oman, Port of Jebel Ali in Dubai and Singapore Port. Vizhinjam Seaport will primarily engage in competing with these international ports for container transshipment activities. The development of the port will be carried out in three phases, and the first phase is expected to get completed by Dec 2024. It is proposed to follow the landlord port model, with the intention of catering for passenger, container and other cargo shipping.