Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways has inaugurated the capacity augmentation works for phases II, III and IV of the Vizhinjam International Seaport at Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on January 24, 2026. This expansion will significantly boost India’s container transshipment capacity and maritime competitiveness.
Phase I, which began commercial operations in December 2024 with a 1 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) capacity, has already handled over 1.43 million TEUs at 130 per cent utilisation and established global shipping links.
The upgrade includes extending the container berth to 2 km (India’s longest), lengthening the breakwater to 3.88 km, and adding modern cranes to handle next-generation 28,000 TEU vessels. Upon completion by December 2028, the port is projected to handle up to 5.7 million TEUs annually and accommodate five mother vessels simultaneously.
The total investment envisaged for the project is about Rs 160 billion, including about Rs 73.98 billion for the expansion phases.