At the Vizhinjam Conclave
2025, Pranav Choudhary, CEO of Adani Ports SEZ, announced an ambitious plan to
turn Vizhinjam International Seaport into a major marine hub worldwide. Choudhary outlined the
port’s history from its founding in 2015 until the start of commercial
operations in 2024, emphasizing its strategic significance in transforming the
maritime logistics sector in India.
The
port has handled 100 vessels since its commercial opening and is anticipated to
boost this figure to 250 vessels in the near future, making it one of the
fastest-growing ports in South Asia, he said. At the Vizhinjam Conclave, he was introducing Future Roadmap: Adani
Vizhinjam Ports Private Limited’s plan to make Vizhinjam a global maritime hub.
In
comparison to major ports like Los Angeles, Choudhary highlighted Vizhinjam’s
status as one of the world’s few successful semi-automatic vessel transshipment
centers. 18 remotely operated cranes are
part of its state-of-the-art infrastructure, which guarantees smooth container
transshipment operations. Due to its advantageous location, Vizhinjam is
situated at the intersection of major international commerce routes, connecting
the Far East and the Far West.
The port connects key
international destinations such as Shanghai, Busan, Rotterdam, and African
ports while enhancing connectivity with major Indian ports like Kandla and
Mundra.
Looking ahead, Choudhary outlined plans for the second phase of development,
which will expand the port’s capacity to handle non-liquid cargo and double its
connectivity routes. Notably, Vizhinjam
is set to become a sea-air transshipment hub, a distinctive feature that
positions it as a multimodal logistics solution provider. Beyond the port’s
operations, the development of industrial clusters and an outer area growth
corridor aims to boost Kerala’s industries, including food processing,
electronics, and apparel. This initiative seeks to position the state as a
logistics consolidation hub. “Vizhinjam’s
connectivity and infrastructure provide immense potential for Kerala’s
industries to thrive,” he said.
He
called upon the government and stakeholders to align with Vizhinjam’s growth
trajectory and capitalize on emerging opportunities.