Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways receives First Mother Ship at Vizhinjam

Docking of MV San Fernando ship, with a capacity of 9000 TEUs marks India’s foray into Next Gen World Class Port Infrastructure.

The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal received the first Mother Ship ‘MV San Fernando’ marking the beginning of operation at India’s First deep water container transhipment port in Vizhinjam, Kerala. The ship, with a capacity upto 9000 TEUs, docks at India’s first automated port which is equipped with state of the art that offers large scale automation for quick turnaround of vessels including capacity to handle megamax containerships. The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinari Vijayan was also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Sonowal said, “Today is a historic day for the maritime sector of India as the maiden mothership docks at Vizhinjam, India’s first truly deep-water International Container Transhipment terminal. This is the testament of the vision of ‘Make in India’ where a PPP collaboration among Govt. of Kerala, Govt. of India as well as the Adani Port SEZ has created a wonderful asset for growth of India’s maritime sector. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, India is equipping and enabling entrepreneurial ventures and collaborating as and when required to build capacity for the cause of nation building. This wonderful achievement marks the beginning of a new era in the ports sector of the country.  We are working towards execution of Mega Port Projects including All Weather Deep Draft Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra and International Container Transhipment Terminal (ICTT) at Galathea Bay in a mission mode.”

Vizhinjam Port is a strategic maritime project near Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. This is the first Greenfield port project in India, initiated by a state Government with an investment exceeding ₹18,000 crores. Developed under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, it stands as one of the largest initiatives in the country’s port sector. Vizhinjam’s strategic location near international shipping routes significantly reduces transit times for vessels, making it a pivotal point for maritime trade. As one of India’s few natural deep-water ports, it can efficiently accommodate large cargo and container ships.

The development of the Vizhinjam International Seaport is poised to boost Kerala’s economic growth by creating jobs, enhancing trade, and attracting investments. Ongoing infrastructure projects aim to equip the port with state-of-the-art facilities, including modern container terminals, warehouses, and logistics parks. Vizhinjam is set to become a key player in regional trade, potentially serving as a gateway for commerce between Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.

Docking of MV San Fernando ship, with