1 st phase of Vizhinjam port to be operational within a year

The first phase of the Vizhinjam Port Limited, a transshipment terminal is all set to be completed by May 2024, said its MD and CEO Rajesh Jha nearly five years behind schedule.

He was speaking at the conclave organized by a private TV Channel. He said the journey to construct the port has not been simple, with several challenges along the way. The massive port project's completion would not have been possible without the help of the CPIM government in Kerala. 

"Our journey has not been easy, it was practically impacted by everything that could impact us. From cyclones to superfloods and then the pandemic. In spite of that, we are talking about completion of the port. The first phase, which is a 800 meters berth and practically 3,000 meters of breakwater, should be ready by May 2024," he said. 

During the first phase, the capacity of the port will be 1 million TEU, which is expandable to 1.6 million TEU. And after the completion of the final phase, the length of the berth will increase to 2,000 meters and the breakwater will go from 3,000 meters to 4,000 meters, Jha said. "The final capacity will be something like 3-4 million TEU, depending on the type of vessel, container, handling capacity and efficiency," he added.

It may be noted that the Vizhinjam International Transshipment Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport is a public-private-partnership (PPP) venture of the Government of Kerala and Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd (AVPPL). 

The port is expected to be a huge boost to Kerala in terms of trade and economic growth, and is likely to attract more businesses to the southern state. In fact, it will be a big boost to the entire country, benefiting both importers and exporters. Jha had earlier called the port a "gateway to the dream".