- Adani Ports triggers Phase-2 expansion as Vizhinjam races towards 5.7 million TEUs by 2029
- Fastest Indian port to cross one million TEUs now targets global transshipment dominance
- Deep-water capability, mega-vessels and automation redraw India’s port competitiveness
- Phase-2 anchors Kerala’s largest private investment and accelerates port-led industrialisation
- Vizhinjam emerges as India’s answer to Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, JAN 24
Vizhinjam International Seaport is set to enter a decisive new growth phase with a ₹16,000-crore expansion commitment by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ), marking a major scale-up of infrastructure at one of India’s most strategically located deep-water maritime gateways.
The announcement builds on Vizhinjam’s strong operational performance since commencing commercial operations in December 2024, positioning the port as a rapidly emerging global transshipment hub on India’s southern coastline.
Commenting on the development, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said: “Vizhinjam Port, which started operations as a national transshipment terminal serving Indian ports, will become an international transshipment hub once it reaches full development. That is, Vizhinjam will become an international transshipment hub serving ports in Africa and the Middle East. With this, our Vizhinjam Port will become a very important center on the global maritime trade map.”
Echoing the scale of ambition, Karan Adani, Managing Director, APSEZ, said: “This project is a strong example of cooperative federalism in action… In a remarkably short period, Vizhinjam has demonstrated what is possible when vision, execution, and partnership come together. In just 15 months of commercial operations, it became the fastest Indian port to handle one million TEUs, firmly placing Kerala on the global shipping map.”
Record-breaking ramp-up
In just over a year of operations, Vizhinjam has delivered a string of national milestones. The port crossed one million TEUs within 10 months, handled 615 vessels and 1.32 million TEUs in its first year, and emerged as the top-performing port on India’s south and east coasts, recording a peak monthly throughput of 1.21 lakh TEUs in December 2025.
A defining feature of Vizhinjam’s early success has been its ability to handle the world’s largest container vessels. Between December 2024 and January 2026, the port handled 50 Ultra Large Container Vessels exceeding 399 metres, over 160 vessels longer than 300 metres, and 50 vessels with drafts exceeding 16 metres.
MSC Verona set a regional benchmark as the deepest-draft vessel ever handled in South Asia at 17.1 metres, while MSC IRINA, the world’s largest container ship, also called at Vizhinjam.
Technology-led operations
Vizhinjam is India’s first semi-automated container port and the first to deploy women automated crane operators. Operations are supported by Made-in-India Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) technology that digitally monitors vessel and yard movements, enabling safe, predictable and high-efficiency handling.
Natural depths of 18–20 metres, a three-kilometre breakwater, minimal dredging requirements and proximity to major east–west shipping lanes give Vizhinjam a strong competitive edge over regional hubs such as Dubai, Colombo, Singapore and Port Klang.
Phase-2: scaling to global size
Under the approved master plan, Phase-2 involves an investment of about ₹10,000 crore, forming the core of the broader ₹16,000-crore commitment. The expansion will extend the container berth from 800 metres to 2,000 metres, lengthen the breakwater to 3,900 metres, and raise port capacity from 1 million TEUs to 5.7 million TEUs by 2029, with completion targeted by 2028.
Phase-2 is part of the ₹30,000-crore cumulative investment announced by the Adani Group at the Invest Kerala Global Summit 2025, the largest private investment in Kerala’s history. Together, Phase-1 and Phase-2 constitute the State’s single biggest private infrastructure project.
Addressing the foundation-laying event for Phase-2, Karan Adani said: “Today, as we lay the foundation for Phase 2, we are not merely expanding a port—we are expanding a national capability.”
He added: “With an additional investment of Rs 16,000 crore under Phase 2, and a cumulative commitment of Rs 30,000 crore, Vizhinjam will scale from a capacity of 1 million TEUs to 5.7 million TEUs by 2029… Vizhinjam will emerge as the largest transshipment port in the Indian subcontinent and a globally competitive maritime hub.”
The expansion is expected to catalyse port-led industrialisation, employment generation and logistics-driven growth, firmly positioning Kerala as a globally competitive maritime and trade destination.
