PM Modi To Dedicate Rs 8,900-Crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Seaport To Nation On Friday
The Rs 8,900-crore port in Kerala is being developed under a public-private partnership with Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt. Ltd.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will dedicate the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport to the nation on Friday.
The Rs 8,900-crore project, located near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, is one of India's most ambitious port infrastructure ventures and is being developed under a public-private-partnership model.
The seaport is a flagship project of the Kerala government and is being constructed in a landlord model on a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer basis. Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd. is the private partner in this venture and began construction on December 5, 2015.
AS Suresh Babu, former managing Director and CEO of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd., told ANI that the tendering process saw significant interest. “In 2014, the fourth tender was out, and almost five leading companies qualified in that tender. Only three of them purchased the tender documents,” he said.
“Finally, Adani submitted the price bid and the agreement was signed in September 2015,” Babu added. “It is a very good thing that we're getting an international transhipment port here… This is a project for India, and Adani being the concessionaire, I am sure that with their expertise, they'll be able to do a good job,” he told ANI.
In a sign of growing operational capacity, the port welcomed the world’s largest eco-friendly container ship, MSC Turkiye, in April. Operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, the 399.9-metre-long vessel docked at Vizhinjam as part of its maiden India call.
The port has also reported signs of strong performance. In March, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said Vizhinjam International Port ranked number one among 15 ports across India’s southern and eastern regions in February, handling 78,833 twenty-foot equivalent units from 40 vessels.
“Vizhinjam International Seaport continues its remarkable growth… a key step in our development journey,” Vijayan posted on X.
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