India Achieves Milestone with MV San Fernando Docking at Vizhinjam Port

The MV San Fernando, the first container ship to dock at Vizhinjam port in Kerala on Friday, signifies a significant milestone for India’s maritime ambitions. Karan Adani, Managing Director of Adani Ports and SEZ Limited, highlighted the event’s importance, stating that Vizhinjam’s operational status will elevate India’s position in global trade as a major transshipment player. Adani emphasized the symbolic value of the arrival of the MV San Fernando, marking a new chapter in India’s maritime history.

Vizhinjam port boasts cutting-edge technology that sets it apart from other Indian ports, including South Asia’s most advanced container handling technology. Prior to Vizhinjam, a majority of India’s transshipped cargo was handled by foreign ports, but Vizhinjam aims to change that by facilitating transshipment traffic into India and handling traffic along major international routes. The project, a Public-Private Partnership between the Kerala government and the Adani Group, involves a total investment of Rs 20,000 crore and is expected to create over 5,500 new jobs in Vizhinjam.

The arrival of the MV San Fernando marks the commencement of operations at India’s first automated port. With a capacity of 8,000-9,000 TEUs, this Maersk vessel will offload around 2,000 containers at the port. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed optimism about the project’s future, noting that the Vizhinjam transshipment terminal is expected to be fully operational by 2028. Adani also shared his confidence in the project’s success, revealing plans to exceed expectations by handling 1.5 million TEUs annually in Phase 1.

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