Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who represents Kerala’s capital Thiruvananthapuram in the Lok Sabha, sought to praise the district’s Vizhinjam port on Sunday amid reports of about 100 ships queuing up at the port.
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed again amid renewed tensions between the US and Iran, Vizhinjam Port in Thiruvananthapuram has emerged as a major maritime hub as the world goes through a shipping crisis.
“100 ships. One destination. The Strait of Hormuz crisis has turned the eyes of global shipping to my constituency! Vizhinjam Port in Thiruvananthapuram is currently witnessing a massive surge with 100 ships waiting in line or looking for calls,” Tharoor wrote in a post on X.
He added that Vizhinjam is “India’s answer to trans-global shipping” as it has handled 1 million Twenty Feet Equivalent Units (TEU) in record time and is now fast-tracking the second phase.
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The Vizhinjam International Deepwater Port in Kerala, India’s first deepwater transshipment port, was conceptualized in 1991. From being on paper to now being a global shipping hub, the project has seen many hurdles, including legal, environmental, logistical and financial hurdles.
The port was built under a public-private partnership at a cost $8,900 crore and is operated by the Adani Group. The Kerala government holds a majority stake in it.
A shipping port is a facility where cargo containers are transferred from one ship to another before continuing to their final destination. These ports handle large volumes of international cargo, something India has traditionally relied on foreign hubs like Colombo to manage.
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Vizhinjam port is a ‘global necessity’
“When I first helped submit a tender that made the port a reality, it was a far-reaching project with a lot of skeptics and critics,” Tharoor said, recalling the times when the port was just an idea on paper.
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He added that as the world looks for new shipping and gateway solutions, Vizhinijam is the answer and has become a “global necessity”.
“Today, things are turning around in Vijingham. With the ongoing turmoil in the Strait of Hormuz, the world is searching for a reliable new gateway – and Vijingham has answered the call. India’s first deepwater transshipment hub is no longer just a project; it has become a global imperative,” he said.
Giving details of operations at the port, Tharoor said that it handled 61 ships last month alone, which is a “new record” and that 100 berthing ships were still pending.
“Expansion is underway to accommodate five motherships simultaneously. We are witnessing the birth of a maritime giant that not only competes with global centers like Colombo or Singapore; it sets a new standard,” he wrote.
“Posted by a very proud MP!” Tharoor said as he concluded the post.
