‘Managed to land in time’: Shashi Tharoor welcomes PM Modi in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of Vizhinjam port commissioning | India News

NEW DELHI: Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Thursday shared photos with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Thiruvananthapuram as he welcomed him in his constituency.
“Despite delays at the dysfunctional Delhi airport, managed to land in Thiruvananthapuram in time to receive Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his arrival in my constituency,” the Congress MP wrote while sharing photos in which he was seen welcoming PM Modi with warm handshake.
“Looking forward to his officially commissioning Vizhinjam port, a project I have been proud to have been involved with since its inception,” he wrote.

PM Modi will officially commission the Vizhinjam International Seaport on Friday, marking a milestone in India’s maritime journey and placing Kerala prominently on the global trade map.
Located in Thiruvananthapuram district, Vizhinjam is India’s first dedicated deep-water transshipment port. Developed under a public-private partnership by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), the Rs 8,867-crore project is expected to significantly enhance India’s cargo-handling capacity and reduce dependence on foreign ports like Colombo.
Ahead of the inauguration, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a post on X that the port represents the largest investment ever made by any Indian state in a port project, with two-thirds of the cost borne by the Kerala government. He described the commissioning as a “historic moment” and a “new chapter” in India’s maritime development.
Vizhinjam’s strategic location—just 10 nautical miles from a key international shipping route—and naturally deep waters make it ideal for accommodating large container vessels. Until now, 75% of India’s transshipment traffic was handled abroad, leading to foreign exchange losses. Vizhinjam aims to change that by reclaiming a substantial share of this traffic.
The port boasts India’s first semi-automated operations, featuring AI-enabled vessel traffic management developed with IIT Madras, fully automated yard cranes, and remotely operated ship-to-shore cranes. Its breakwater—one of the deepest in the country—extends nearly three kilometres and stands 28 metres tall.
Trial operations began in July 2024, and full commercial operations started in December. Over 272 large vessels have docked at the port during this phase, handling over 550,000 containers.
Vizhinjam has already made significant gains, including becoming part of the Jade Service operated by MSC, the world’s largest shipping company. The port now shares routes with global hubs like Shanghai, Singapore, and Busan. Cargo ships on this route will sail from Singapore to Vizhinjam before heading to ports in Spain and Italy.
With the first phase of development complete, the second phase—costing Rs 10,000 crore and fully funded by Adani Ports—is expected to be completed by 2028, taking annual capacity to 3 million TEUs.
Plans are also underway to turn Vizhinjam into a multi-modal logistics hub, with direct highway connectivity via NH-66, Kerala’s first cloverleaf interchange, and an upcoming railway link to the national network.
The Vizhinjam International Seaport, now operational, is being hailed as a major step forward in India’s bid to become a global maritime power.