The Vizhinjam International Sea Port, India’s largest transhipment port in Kerala, has welcomed its first container ship, a large cargo vessel named ‘San Fernando’ from China. The ship’s arrival was celebrated with a water salute by four tugs that guided it to the dock, marking a significant milestone for India’s largest transhipment port.
The ship, with a capacity of 8,000 to 9,000 TEUs, is owned by the prominent shipping company Maersk and arrived from Xiamen Port in China.The 300-meter-long San Fernando is set to unload 1,900 containers at Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL).
The mothership carries large containers that will be transferred to other vessels and subsequently transported to various ports within the country and internationally.

Why is Vizhinjam port, India’s largest transhipment port special?

Vizhinjam, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and advanced automation and IT systems, is poised to become India’s first semi-automated port.

Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) is responsible for the development of the Vizhinjam International Seaport. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan acknowledged Adani Group’s commitment to completing the project within the stipulated timeframe.
The port’s construction, which commenced in 2016, is a public-private partnership project with a total investment of Rs 8,867 crore. The Kerala state government contributed approximately Rs 5,595 crore, while the central government provided Rs 818 crore towards the port’s development. It is expected to be fully commissioned in September or October 2024.
The port boasts natural depths ranging from 20 to 24 meters, with a rare rocky ocean bottom, eliminating the need for dredging to achieve such depths.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan officially greeted the Chinese freight ship ‘San Fernando’ at the Vizhinjam international sea port on Friday, a day after the vessel had docked. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister for Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, and A N Shamseer, the Kerala Assembly Speaker.
Also present at the ceremony were V N Vasavan, the state Ports Minister, along with his fellow cabinet members K N Balagopal, V Sivankutty, K Rajan, and G R Anil. M Vincent, a UDF MLA, and Karan Adani, the Managing Director of APSEZ, were among the other notable attendees.
Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, expressed his optimism about the arrival of San Fernand at the Vizhinjam International Seaport saying, “This is a good development in the country. India under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi is going to be one of the leading maritime nations in the world. For that to happen, we have to create world-class facilities here so that all types of vessels can be accommodated at the Indian ports. We are going to develop this kind of port in Maharashtra and Andaman & Nicobar Islands – both at the East and West coast of India to have global access.”