Vizhinjam Port handles nearly 400 ships since its launch last year, says Kerala Ports Minister, ET Infra
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ETInfra
Vizhinjam transshipment hub has handled nearly 400 container ships in the past year, Kerala Ports Minister V N Vasavan said in a Facebook post marking the first anniversary of the port's inaugural docking.Developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) under a public-private partnership model, the port was built at an estimated cost of ₹8,867 crore.Claiming that Vizhinjam has emerged as the top port on India's south-east coast, the minister described it as 'one of the rare ports in the world' to begin full-capacity operations within a year of its launch in December last year.In total, the port has received 392 vessels, including 23 ultra-large ships and the world's largest container vessel, the MSC Irina. With expanding AI and automation capabilities, Vizhinjam has handled 8.3 lakh containers so far."Along with celebrating the first year with pride, the second phase construction works which are expected to cost more than ₹10,000 crore will also start soon. Vizhinjam will grow as a gateway to India's maritime superiority ." Vasavan wrote.The minister also highlighted that Vizhinjam port is home to India's first female automated crane operators , all recruited from local communities. The port is supporting over one lakh people through various social impact initiatives in health, education, and skill development, he added.
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Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Construction of new fishing harbour at Vizhinjam set to begin in Oct
Thiruvananthapuram: Construction of a new fishing harbour at Vizhinjam is slated to begin in Oct this year. As part of it, harbour engineering department, which has been tasked with constructing a 250m seaward breakwater at a 45-degree angle costing Rs 125 crore under package 2, is set to float a tender this month. This initiative forms the second phase of the Rs 271 crore harbour project approved by state cabinet in March 2025. The first phase, package 1, entrusted to Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Limited (AVPPL), includes development of a 500m fishing berth and supporting infrastructure with a budget of Rs 146 crore. Last month, an expert committee appointed by National Green Tribunal (NGT) met with representatives of state govt to assess the project's progress. They informed the panel that the project is expected to be completed by 2027. "We have informed NGT members that work will not be scheduled around the monsoon seasons, as rough seas hinder construction. We require at least 18 months to finish both phases — harbour and breakwater. The tender will be floated this month by harbour engineering department. After signing the agreement, work will begin in Oct along with breakwater extension as part of the second phase," a senior govt official told TOI. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Kate Garraway's Husband Leaves Behind A Fortune That Makes His Cry. Weight Loss Groove Undo The authorities have prioritised engagement with the fishing community. Consultations were held with representatives of local church authorities, who agreed to the proposed project layout. Additionally, in July 2024, fishermen's groups were taken to Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) in Pune, where experts demonstrated physical model tests of the harbour design. Earlier, ports minister V N Vasavan reiterated that construction would strictly adhere to CWPRS recommendations to ensure safety and functionality. CWPRS then submitted a draft report to Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) in Nov 2024. The report suggested adding additional features, which may slightly raise the project cost, and these were assessed in the final review held earlier this year. The new harbour is designed to meet international standards, offering a range of facilities to support the fishing industry. It will include a jetty, locker rooms for storing engines and nets, an auction hall, administrative offices, toilet blocks and a canteen. Though govt has proposed a provision to launch trawling boats, the fishermen opposed it and informed that they were happy with the traditional boats. A new modern fishing harbour will be constructed in the place between the Vizhinjam International Seaport and the existing fishing harbour. According to authorities, technical expertise of Adani Group would be considered while selecting companies for the construction of the fishing port. Meanwhile, the harbour engineering department has also proposed the modernisation work of the existing harbour for Rs 98 crore. The project is expected to get financial backing from Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana scheme. Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Vizhinjam seaport Phase Two expansion likely next month
The Vizhinjam seaport that was dedicated to the nation early May will likely see the kick-off of its Phase two expansion next month. Phase two, expected to be completed by 2028, targets increasing the port's container capacity to some 4.5 million TEU a year and will add a break-bulk berth, a tanker berth and a bunkering facility on an extended 4-km-long breakwater. Vizhinjam port, which has handled nearly 1 million TEUs after starting commercial operations in December 2024, now has an 800-m long container ship jetty capable of handling one container mother ship and two feeder vessels at a time. Phase two will increase the length of the container berth to 2000-m long and hold three mother ships and several feeder vessels at the same time. While Phase 1 costing a little less than ₹9,000 crore, saw the financial participation of the Kerala and the Union governments including through viability gap funding, the finance for Phase 2 costing ₹10,000 crore will be entirely raised by the Adani Ports & SEZ Ltd (APSEZ), the ports and logistics company of the Adani Group. In 2015, the Kerala government had signed an agreement with APSEZ to develop the port and Adani has a 40-year concession to build, operate, and transfer the port, with a provision for a 20-year extension. The port commenced trial operations in July 2024, receiving its first mothership, the San Fernando. The port has a natural deep draft of some 20 m close to the shore that requires little dredging. During the inauguration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that 75% of India's transshipment operations were previously conducted at foreign ports, leading to significant revenue loss for the country. And Vizhinjam will help ensure that India's money will serve India. Port officials say the port is expected to lower logistics costs for Indian manufacturers by 30-40%, enhancing the country's export competitiveness. So far, all the containers handled by the port have been transshipment cargo – 60% international and 40% Indian. The port has handled no exim cargo — containers leaving and entering Vizhinjam by road or rail after customs clearance. Port managers say that exim cargo will grow to account for 20%, even as the second phase expansion happens. They are citing the exclusive rail line from Vizhinjam port to Balaramapuram that is being laid by the Government of Kerala and is expected to be completed by 2028. A road connecting the port and NH 66 (Mumbai- Kanyakumari) is almost ready to open, port managers say. These would help Vizhinjam's inland connectivity through road and rail and facilitate exim cargo. Merchant ships on global trade need periodic changes of crew. On the East-West sea route where Vizhinjam is located, Singapore and Reunion Island are prominent crew change points. Vizhinjam port officials are working with the government to establish an international crew change facility, leveraging the locational advantage. A crew change facility could potentially boost local economy through hotels, restaurants and other facilities serving seafarers in transit. Some of the largest container vessels of 400 m length and capacity of some 24,000 TEUs have docked at Vizhinjam. Port managers recall a fully loaded Claude Girardet, another 399-m long mega container vessel, taking a detour and steaming into Vizhinjam after the crew found that some 10 containers had to be restacked for the sake of ship stability and safety. In a few hours, the containers were restacked and Girardet set sail. Vizhinjam boasts of being a hi-tech port with operators at an air-conditioned remote control station handling the cranes at the container stacks as well as shipside. Automated handling The port has commissioned 8 Quay Cranes that are operated remotely from a control room and 20 fully automated Cantilever Rail Mounted Gantry cranes performing container operations without the need of a human crane operator. The entire container handling operations are executed by automation systems deployed by ABB systems, who are the world leaders in container terminal automation, he said. For monitoring and controlling ship operations, an advanced Digital Twin system is implemented, that automatically collects and assimilates machine and operational events, using IoT systems, in real-time on a large 3D video wall, enabling the controllers to be proactive and respond to operational exceptions without delays. The port has also adopted advanced sensor and radar-based technology along with artificial intelligence to effectively track, coordinate, and manage large container ships as they arrive to dock and depart after unloading. (The writer was at Vizhinjam at the invitation of the company)
Time of India
4 days ago
- Time of India
Strong APSEZ performance, Adani's transition to non-executive director gets analyst backing
New Delhi: Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone's (APSEZ) robust first quarter revenue growth and margin improvement across major business verticals won the backing of leading brokerages, who saw the company as a long-term proxy for India's trade and infrastructure growth. Leading brokerages, including Goldman Sachs, HSBC, Kotak, and Jefferies, have issued a unanimous 'BUY' rating on APSEZ, as a positive sentiment followed a robust first-quarter performance. The company also announced that Gautam Adani will cease to be a Key Managerial Personnel (KMP) and will now serve as the non-executive chairman, transitioning from his earlier role as Executive Chairman. In a note, Jefferies said Q1 EBITDA was 14 per cent above its estimates, led by domestic ports margin improvement and 2.0-2.9 times year-on-year revenue rise in logistics and marine. "Management reiterated its focus on absolute EBITDA growth, as the company intends to deliver end-to-end solutions vs pure volume growth," it said, adding FY26 volume guidance at 505-515 million tonnes (12-14 per cent rise yoy) was maintained. HSBC Global Investment Research said the company delivered robust Q1 revenue growth and margin improvements across major business verticals. "Strong ramp-up of new assets, turnaround in international port and logistics margins underscore intact earnings trajectory." Port throughput grew 11 per cent to 121 million tonnes, backed by 6 per cent growth in domestic and a 4 times jump in international. New asset additions (Vizhinjam and Gopalpur) offset weakness in Mundra, which saw a 6 per cent throughput decline due to geopolitical restrictions and embargoes, and softer coal handling due to lower thermal energy demand. "We lift FY26-28 EBITDA (estimate) by 2 per cent, reflecting better-than-expected margin improvement," it said, adding Vizhinjam and Colombo terminals should strengthen its capacity and pricing power. Goldman Sachs said while tariff-related uncertainty will remain, APSEZ's strong portfolio of port assets leverages it for market share gains (as ports of Vizinjham, Colombo and Tanzania ramp up in FY26 and Gangavaram regains its volumes), resulting in 12.5 per cent volume growth. Kotak Institutional Equities said APSEZ grew its EBITDA 30 per cent year-on-year, while facing head-on specific issues on imported coal and the transhipment business. "The port business continues to expand margins. It continues to add brownfield capacities judiciously and make its presence felt in new markets." Reported financial numbers came in better than expectations. Logistics and Marine revenue drove the growth, analysts at Goldman Sachs said in their report. For the quarter, the company reported a 21 per cent year-on-year increase in revenue to Rs 9,126 crore, while net profit rose 6.5 per cent to Rs 3,314.6 crore compared to the same period last year. Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) rose 13 per cent to Rs 5,494 crore, although margins narrowed to 60.2 per cent from 64.1 per cent in the same quarter last year. APSEZ has given a revenue guidance of Rs 36,000 crore to Rs 38,000 crore for the current fiscal (FY26) and an EBITDA forecast of Rs 21,000 crore to Rs 22,000 crore. The capex estimate has been put at Rs 11,000 crore to Rs 12,000 crore. "Strong ramp-up of new assets and a turnaround in international port and logistics margins underscore an intact earnings trajectory," said HSBC. Jefferies appreciated the management's continued focus: "Management reiterated its commitment to absolute EBITDA growth as the company shifts towards delivering end-to-end solutions, rather than purely volume-driven growth." PTI ANZ DR DR
