Vizhinjam port to be operational by September this year

Efforts are on to bring the first ship to Vizhinjam international sea port by September this year, said Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on March 3rd.

Industry experts say the deadline is achievable provided this year’s South west monsoon does not wreck the Port infrastructure.

Once fully commissioned, the largest mother ship of the world can easily be anchored here, said port officials, adding that five mother ships can be berthed at a time after its full commissioning may be in a few years.

Now, the country is depending heavily on Colombo, Singapore and Dubai mother ports for the transshipment of heavy cargo to the country incurring additional cost and time. Once the Vizhinjam port is functional, it will bridge the gap.

Responding to a question in the legislative assembly, the CM said the project will be a game-changer for the state as major cities and business centres have come around such mother ports around the world. The Port is planning to bring the first ship to the port by September. Work is going on at a brisk pace and serious attempts are on to realise this,” he said.

With the commissioning of the port, an industrial corridor will be developed in south Kerala.

“It will usher in development in the area. The government is planning to develop industrial parks, logistic centers and many other projects. It will give employment opportunities to many youngsters,” he said.

Work on the project was disrupted for about four months last year after fishermen, led by the Latin Catholic church, disrupted it alleging that the port construction triggered massive coastal erosion, taking away their dwellings and livelihood.

They had sought that the ongoing works should remain suspended but the government stood its ground. The protest was called off on December 6 after the government agreed to five of the seven demands raised by them. The Adani Group is developing the first mother ship project of the country in Vizhinjam, 16km south of the state capital.

Conceived three decades ago, the port (with 20m natural depth), 12 nautical miles away from the international ship channel, is expected to be a big boost to the industrial growth of southern India, experts said.