The newly inaugurated Vizhinjam on India's west coast in the state of Kerala will compete with regional transhipment hubs such as Colombo (Sri Lanka), Singapore, Port Klang (Malaysia) and Jebel Ali (UAE), according to the country's largest private operator, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ).
Delivering the keynote address at the inaugural ship-docking ceremony at the Vizhinjam International Seaport on Sunday, APSEZ CEO Karan Adani stressed that the port's "strategic location", just 10 nautical miles from the "international shipping route" linking Europe, the Persian Gulf and the Far East, was a major advantage. "Vizhinjam Port will be the largest private port in Kerala and will be a huge revenue contributor to the state," said the Indian businessman.
He expressed a strong belief that the port of Vizhinjam would not only become the foremost "exclusive transshipment hub" in the country, but it would also be the pioneer in introducing a "semi-automated container terminal" in the country.
A ‘Global Bunkering Hub’
According to Adani, the Vizhinjam port will not only serve as a ''global bunkering hub'', but it will also provide environmentally friendly fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia.
"When completed, this port will be one of the greenest ports in the world, a fitting complement to the natural beauty of eco-conscious Kerala," said the APSEZ chief.
He said the company would start work on the "second phase" of the port in the coming days.
APSEZ, part of the billion-dollar Indian business conglomerate Adani Enterprises, is India's largest port operator with investments in 13 domestic and three international ports, including in Australia, Sri Lanka and Israel.