en.Wedoany.com Reported - India's Vizhinjam International Seaport will fully commence import and export operations on August 18, with the terminal operated by Adani opening to gateway cargo and handling transshipment business. Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced this through an official statement.
With the launch of import and export operations, containers originating from or destined for India can be directly loaded and unloaded at the port, no longer limited to ship-to-ship transshipment. Satheesan will cut the ribbon for the first export container at the inauguration ceremony. Subsequently, the Kerala government will host the "Mission Samudra Business Summit" for shipping companies, logistics service providers, exporters, investors, and other industry participants.
The launch of import and export operations is part of the Kerala government's 100-day action plan. The state expects that the new services will reduce cargo transportation costs, improve supply chain efficiency, support Indian exporters, and drive investment and employment growth. "Mission Samudra," as a long-term maritime development plan, aims to integrate ports, logistics, manufacturing, inland waterways, and multimodal transportinfrastructure.
Vizhinjam Port began commercial operations in December 2024 and surpassed a throughput of 2 million TEUs within 18 months. In June 2026, the port welcomed its 1,000th commercial vessel. After the launch of gateway operations, the terminal will maintain an open-access, common-user status, serving shipping companies on a non-discriminatory basis.
Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited, responsible for port development, operation, and maintenance, was incorporated in July 2015. The company is a subsidiary of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited and operates under a design, build, finance, operate, and transfer concession agreement signed with the Kerala government on August 17, 2015. The port received a provisional completion certificate for the project on December 3, 2024. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited is the parent company of the concessionaire and the private sector participant in the port project.
