THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Vizhinjam International Seaport received its first import container on 31 October, establishing Kerala’s direct gateway for international trade.
The inaugural import container arrived aboard the vessel MSC Sabrina III from Ningbo in China, carrying engineered building boards sourced from Ningbo for the construction industry.
Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited Managing Director Jeromic George flagged off the truck carrying the import container from the port.
The consignment was booked by Thiruvananthapuram-based startup BSG Logistics and Ship Chandlers Private Limited on behalf of Altair Group.
This development comes months after export-import (EXIM) operations began at the port on 18 August.
The direct import facility enables goods to be unloaded, cleared through customs and transported directly to markets across Kerala.
This not only reduces importers’ dependence on other ports, but also cuts the time involved in cargo flow.
The port’s import milestone follows recent export activity, as the first eight export containers from the port set sail for Spain’s Valencia aboard the MSC Beryl.
The Kerala government began work on a dedicated container freight station (CFS) for the port under its 100-day action plan in September.
