Pratik Bijlani –
Vizhinjam International Seaport, India’s first deepwater transshipment port, is gearing up to commence direct export-import (EXIM) operations by September 2025, marking a major milestone in the nation’s maritime logistics. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), which operates the port, is actively scaling up infrastructure to achieve a 40:60 EXIM-to-transshipment cargo mix over the next three to five years.
“We expected EXIM cargo to contribute no more than 10% of total volumes in the first year. But based on the volume of enquiries from consignees and exporters, we now anticipate EXIM share to reach 10-15% in the first year itself,” an APSEZ official revealed.
Situated in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram district, just 10 nautical miles off major East-West shipping routes, Vizhinjam Port is attracting interest from key players across industries, including textile exporters from Tiruppur and Coimbatore, automaker Volvo, and British retailer Marks & Spencer. Currently, consignments from southern India to Europe rely on multi-leg journeys through Chennai or Tuticorin and transshipment via Colombo, adding time and cost. With Vizhinjam’s direct connectivity, transit times to Europe could drop from 40 days to 25–26 days, significantly improving efficiency.
The port is addressing last-mile connectivity challenges by constructing a link road to National Highway 66, enabling smoother road transport for EXIM containers. Nearly a dozen companies are in talks with Adani Ports to shift cargo to road transport once operations begin.
Since receiving its first container vessel, San Fernando, in July 2024, Vizhinjam has handled 392 ships and processed 8.3 lakh containers. With a current capacity of 10 lakh containers annually and long-term plans to scale to 62 lakh, the port is poised to become a game-changer for India’s international trade.
Marex Media