Thiruvananthapuram: Vizhinjam International Seaport will commence full export-import (EXIM) operations on Tuesday, August 18, as Chief Minister V D Satheesan is scheduled to flag off the first export container, the state government said. The inauguration marks a shift in the port’s role from primarily a transshipment hub to a direct gateway for Kerala’s exports and imports.
Strategic location and capacity
The port, located about 10 nautical miles from the international East–West shipping route, offers minimal deviation for ocean-going vessels calling at the facility. According to official project data, Vizhinjam enjoys a natural draft of around 18 metres, scalable to 20 metres, enabling it to accommodate ultra-large container vessels.
Vizhinjam began trial operations in July 2024 and moved into commercial operations five months later. As of 31 July 2026, the port has attracted 1,057 vessel calls and handled more than 2.24 million TEUs, figures released by the port authority show. During the trial phase, the first export container was shipped to Valencia, Spain.
Reducing transshipment dependence
For decades a significant portion of India’s container traffic has been routed via overseas hubs such as Colombo, Singapore and Jebel Ali. The commencement of EXIM services at Vizhinjam is designed to enable direct sailings to international markets, cutting transit time and logistics costs for local exporters, the state government said.
Officials expect the change to open overseas markets for sectors including agricultural products, spices, cashew, marine products, handloom and textiles. The port currently has direct regular and ad‑hoc services linking it to more than 110 major ports in over 50 countries across six continents, the port’s service profile indicates.
Mission Samudra: a port-led development plan
The state government will simultaneously launch Mission Samudra and unveil its logo at the event. The programme envisages the creation of a wider Vizhinjam maritime economic region incorporating industrial clusters and planned urban nodes along the coastline.
As part of Mission Samudra, the government has allocated a Rs 400-crore catalytic fund intended for port connectivity, logistics development and industrial cluster promotion. The programme foresees eight industrial clusters and three new cities linked to the state’s coastline, according to the official announcement.
Infrastructure and customs facilitation
To facilitate EXIM activity, a customs public notice has been issued and a customs-bonded area for EXIM containers has been created within the port precinct, addressing the current lack of a container freight station in Thiruvananthapuram. A temporary road connecting the port area to NH 66 has also been completed, the state said.
- First export container: Flagged off 18 August (Chief Minister to inaugurate).
- Services: Direct and ad‑hoc connections with >110 ports in 50+ countries.
- Mission Samudra fund: Rs 400 crore catalytic allocation.
Economic and logistical impacts
Experts and planners have long argued that a domestic EXIM gateway on Kerala’s coast could reduce dependency on external transshipment centres and lower landed costs for exporters. The state government expects an upswing in demand for warehousing, cold chains, container freight stations and logistics parks in Thiruvananthapuram and neighbouring districts as EXIM volumes grow.
Converting a transshipment-focused port into a gateway involves not only berthing capacity but also hinterland connectivity, customs processes and ancillary services. The customs-bonded area within the port and the temporary NH 66 link are immediate measures; longer-term road and rail connectivity, cold storage capacity and freight handling infrastructure will determine how quickly exporters shift from overseas hubs.
Operational scale and future prospects
Vizhinjam’s proximity to the main shipping corridor and deep-draft berths make it attractive for both transshipment and gateway businesses, the official master plan notes. While the port has handled sizeable vessel traffic and TEU volumes since commercialisation, the shift to EXIM operations aims to capture a larger share of India’s international container trade.
| Indicator | Figure |
|---|---|
| Distance from East–West route | 10 nautical miles |
| Natural draft | ~18 metres (scalable to 20 m) |
| Vessel calls (till 31 Jul 2026) | 1,057 |
| TEUs handled | More than 2.24 million |
The inauguration of EXIM operations and the launch of Mission Samudra together signal a policy push by Kerala to embed Vizhinjam at the centre of a coastal economic corridor. How quickly exporters and shipping lines reroute business from entrenched transshipment hubs will depend on competitive freight rates, port efficiency and the pace of hinterland infrastructure upgrades.
The state will monitor the initial months of EXIM activity to assess demand for logistics services and to fine-tune support measures under Mission Samudra, officials said. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal is scheduled to be the chief guest at the flag-off ceremony.
