Vizhinjam port begins full-scale EXIM operations on Tuesday

Vizhinjam International Seaport will formally start full-scale export-import (EXIM) operations on Tuesday, shifting from a transshipment-only facility to a commercial gateway. Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will flag off the first export container at 10.45 am. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal was scheduled to attend as chief guest, but Telangana Today reports he will not arrive for the event, a change the outlet says is not expected to diminish the milestone.

National Herald India reports that the port, operated by Adani Ports, has a natural depth of 20 to 24 metres and lies about 10 nautical miles from the international East-West shipping corridor. Exporters of spices, cashew, marine products, and textiles are expected to benefit from direct access to global routes, reducing costs currently incurred by routing cargo through Colombo, Singapore, or Dubai.

Alongside the EXIM launch, the state government will introduce Mission Samudra, a Rs 400-crore port-led industrial and logistics initiative. It envisages eight industrial clusters and three new cities. Telangana Today notes that Chief Minister Satheesan reviewed operational preparedness on Tuesday morning as the project enters a phase the state hopes will position Kerala on the global maritime map.