The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal received the first Mother Ship  ‘MV San Fernando’ marking the beginning of operation at India’s First deep water container transhipment port in Vizhinjam, Kerala today. The ship, with a capacity upto 9000 TEUs, docks at India’s first automated port which is equipped with state of the art that offers large scale automation for quick turnaround of vessels including capacity to handle megamax containerships. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Shri Pinari Vijayan was also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sonowal said, “Today is a historic day for the maritime sector of India as the maiden mothership docks at Vizhinjam, India’s first truly deep water International Container Transhipment terminal. This is the testament of the vision of ‘Make in India’ where a PPP collaboration among Govt. of Kerala, Govt. of India as well as the Adani Port SEZ has created a wonderful asset for growth of India’s maritime sector. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India is equipping and enabling entrepreneurial ventures and collaborating as and when required to build capacity for the cause of nation building. This wonderful achievement marks the beginning of a new era in the ports sector of the country. This is a big step towards realisation of the vision of PM Narendra Modi ji of creating world class port infrastructure in the country. In the same spirit of nation building, our ministry, under the visionary guidance of PM Narendra Modi ji, is working towards execution of Mega Port Projects including All Weather Deep Draft Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra and International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) at Galathea Bay in a mission mode.”

Vizhinjam Port is a strategic maritime project near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. This is the first Greenfield port project in India, initiated by a state Government with an investment exceeding ₹18,000 crores. Developed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, it stands as one of the largest initiatives in the country's port sector. Vizhinjam's strategic location near international shipping routes significantly reduces transit times for vessels, making it a pivotal point for maritime trade. As one of India's few natural deep-water ports, it can efficiently accommodate large cargo and container ships. The development of the Vizhinjam International Seaport is poised to boost Kerala's economic growth by creating jobs, enhancing trade, and attracting investments. Ongoing infrastructure projects aim to equip the port with state-of-the-art facilities, including modern container terminals, warehouses, and logistics parks. Vizhinjam is set to become a key player in regional trade, potentially serving as a gateway for commerce between Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Speaking further, Shri Sonowal added, “Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modiji, India has fast tracked development of ports sector in the country, as we aim to become top maritime global power in the years to come. Today, with the operationalisation of Vizhinjam port, India is poised to reap opportunity it creates in the region, and bringing healthy competition with Colombo and Singapore transhipment hubs. The government remains committed to enable and equip India’s maritime sector as projects worth more than ₹24,000 crores are being implemented in Kerala under the Sagarmala project - the flagship programme of the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways. With dynamic global scenario impacting the maritime sector, this port offers a viable alternative and an option to major shipping lines to mitigate the disruptions in the global supply chain.”

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MJPS/AK