News Desk
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India — On a balmy Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Vizhinjam International Seaport (Vizhinjam) in Kerala’s capital, a $1.06 billion project hailed as India’s first deep-water dedicated container transshipment hub. Built by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. under a public-private partnership, Vizhinjam is set to reshape maritime trade in the Indian Ocean, with significant benefits for the Maldives, according to Maldivian businessman Ali Fauzy.
Located 10 nautical miles from major global shipping routes, Vizhinjam’s strategic position and 24-meter depth make it the region’s deepest port, able to host the world’s largest container ships. Fauzy, a prominent voice in the Maldives’ trade sector, emphasized that the hub’s proximity—only 200 nautical miles from the Maldives—and advanced infrastructure, including the region’s fastest Super Post Max cranes, will cut logistical costs and speed up cargo handling. “This hub will break the monopoly of Colombo’s port,” Fauzy said, referring to the Sri Lankan capital’s dominance in transshipment cargo for the Maldives.
Colombo’s port, handling 2.5 million TEUs annually for the region, has high fees for loading and unloading, raising goods prices for Maldivian traders, Fauzy noted. Vizhinjam, by contrast, aims to capture 50 percent of the region’s transshipments, offering a competitive alternative. With an initial capacity of 1 million TEUs in its first year, scaling to 6.2 million annually, the hub is expected to ease congestion and delays at Colombo, where 75 percent of the Maldives’ cargo from India currently transits.
For the Maldives, Fauzy sees Vizhinjam as a game-changer. He urged local businesses to establish warehouses and logistics operations to streamline cargo handling. “If we act now, importers will see huge relief,” he said, urging Maldives State Shipping to introduce scheduled services to facilitate trade. Lower shipping costs and faster transit times could make goods more affordable, boosting competitiveness in the Maldivian market.
Beyond the region, Vizhinjam’s influence is set to extend globally. With a capacity of up to 5 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units), the hub is poised to serve cargo bound to and from the United States, Europe, Africa, and East Asia. Its ability to accommodate mega-container ships, which previously bypassed Indian ports for Colombo, Dubai, or Singapore, positions south India as a rising player in global shipping. Bloomberg reports suggest an additional $1 billion investment to triple the hub’s capacity, underscoring its ambitious trajectory.
Developed on a landlord model, the project combines public oversight with private expertise, designed, built, financed, and operated by Adani Ports. At the inauguration, attended by Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and Adani Group Chairman Gautam Adani, PM Modi hailed Vizhinjam as a milestone for India’s maritime ambitions.
For neighbors like the Maldives, Vizhinjam offers a chance to diversify trade routes and reduce reliance on congested hubs. As Fauzy put it, “The hub is not just about ships—it’s about creating opportunities for businesses and consumers across the Indian Ocean.” With cutting-edge infrastructure and a strategic location, Vizhinjam will reshape the region’s economic landscape, one container at a time.
