Vizhinjam Port: Modi launches India’s first transshipment hub, marks maritime shift

New Delhi, May 2: On the birth anniversary of Adi Shankaracharya, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the Rs 8,800 crore Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport to the nation, marking a pivotal milestone in India’s maritime ambitions. Inaugurating the strategically located transshipment port in Kerala, Modi declared it a “symbol of new-age development” and a gateway to a “developed India” under the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision. Set along one of the world’s busiest sea routes, Vizhinjam is India’s first dedicated deepwater container transshipment port. With a natural draft of nearly 20 meters, it is designed to host some of the world’s largest cargo ships.

This will reduce India’s reliance on foreign ports such as Colombo, Singapore, and Port Klang for transshipment, a practice that costs the Indian economy valuable time and foreign exchange. Currently, about 75% of India’s transshipment cargo is handled abroad. That, Modi said, “is now set to change.”

Framing the port’s inauguration within a broader civilizational and strategic narrative, Modi invoked the legacy of Adi Shankaracharya—who was born in Kerala and established spiritual unity across India centuries ago—as a symbol of integration and foresight. “Just as Adi Shankaracharya awakened the national consciousness, this port will awaken Kerala’s maritime potential,” he said.

The Prime Minister also referenced India’s maritime golden age before colonial rule, when port cities like those in Kerala were thriving hubs of global trade. He tied that past to India’s current efforts to reclaim its sea power, declaring that “India’s coastal states and port cities will become key centers for the growth of a developed India.”

A maritime strategy with national stakes

The Vizhinjam port, developed through a public-private partnership, is a flagship under the Centre’s Sagarmala initiative and a cornerstone of Modi’s push to double port capacity, modernize infrastructure, and improve logistics connectivity. Speaking of broader reforms, the Prime Minister noted that Indian ports have reduced ship turnaround time by 30% over the last decade, improving efficiency and easing costs for industry. Modi also highlighted the growth in India’s seafaring workforce, from 1.25 lakh in 2014 to over 3.25 lakh today, and emphasized India’s rising stature in global shipbuilding—now among the top 20 countries. A new shipbuilding and repair cluster in Kochi, he said, would create “thousands of new jobs” and provide Kerala’s youth with opportunities in a globalized sector. “India’s maritime success is the result of a decade-long vision,” he said, pointing to the country’s improved ranking in the Logistics Performance Index and the inclusion of two Indian ports among the world’s top 30. The port is also expected to boost India’s role in the proposed India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor, first announced at the G-20 Summit in Delhi. Modi underscored Kerala’s crucial role in this corridor, envisioning the state as a future “nerve center of global maritime trade.”

Local gains and coastal welfare

Besides macroeconomic gains, Modi reiterated his government’s commitment to Kerala’s development, highlighting recent progress in highways, railways, and airports. Citing examples like the long-delayed Kollam and Alappuzha bypass projects, and the introduction of Vande Bharat trains, he said Kerala’s infrastructure had undergone rapid transformation.

Fishermen too, he emphasized, remain a key focus. Projects worth hundreds of crores have been sanctioned under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and Blue Revolution. Fishing harbors like Ponnani and Puthiyappa are being modernized, and thousands of Kerala’s fishermen now have Kisan Credit Cards, giving them access to affordable institutional finance.

Modi also took a moment to offer condolences on the passing of Pope Francis, calling him a “torchbearer of peace and inclusivity” and recalling personal meetings with him. He acknowledged Kerala’s deep-rooted pluralism and paid tribute to the legacy of Saint Thomas Church, one of the world’s oldest.

The Prime Minister concluded by reiterating that Vizhinjam is not just a port—it is part of a larger national vision. “India’s maritime sector will reach new heights,” he said, with confidence that the strategic infrastructure now being laid will yield long-term dividends for trade, employment, and India’s position in global supply chains. The event was attended by Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Union Ministers including Suresh Prabhu and George Kurien.