India will develop more transshipment ports, Union Minister Sonowal

CM said project will complete all its remaining three phases by 2028, nearly 17 years ahead of the schedule

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal said on Friday that more ports similar to Vizhinjam Port will be constructed to raise India’s share in the global maritime business.

Attending the ceremony to officially welcome the mothership M V San Fernando, the first vessel to call at the Vizhinjam International Seaport, Sonowal stated that two similar ports are being developed in Maharashtra on the west coast and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on the east coast.

The minister claimed that under the stewardship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi India will emerge as a global power in maritime business

 Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan officially welcomed the mothership that berthed yesterday at the port.

He announced that the project will complete all its remaining three phases by 2028, nearly 17 years ahead of the schedule.    

Kiran Adani, Managing Director of Adani Ports and SEZ which constructed the port and will operate it said that Adani Vizhinjam Port Ltd has already created over 2000 direct and indirect jobs in construction, operations, and other fields.

He claimed that the company will create an additional 5000 direct and indirect jobs at the port soon.  

Kiran Adani further said that by 2028, when all four phases of the country’s first transshipment port are completed, the State Government and Adani Vizhinjam Port will have invested a total of Rs20,000 crore in the project.

This is the largest public-private participation port project in the country with an outlay of Rs8, 867 crores, of which the State has invested Rs5,595 crore.