Vizhinjam port to emerge as trans-shipment hub: Adani Ports CEO, Subrata Tripathy
MUMBAI : Adani Ports’ CEO Mr. Subrata Tripathy, reveals plans for the development of a mega trans-shipment port in Vizhinjam, India. With an investment of approximately Rs 7,700 crore in the first phase, the port aims to become India’s first semi-automated container terminal and a key trans-shipment hub.
Mr. Subrata Tripathy, CEO Ports, Adani Ports, says “in phase one, we are spending close to Rs 7,700 crore. In phase two, when we look to develop more than 800 meters of key length, we will have a mega trans-shipment port and something that India needs to be truly proud of and India’s answer to the entire trans-shipment that we are looking for.”
On Adani Ports’plans
“We wish to be entrenched in Colombo first and Haifa has been well acquired and it is handling an adequate amount of cargoes. It is a very unique position and the recent announcement in G20 that it is a part of the IMEC takes it into a very big league and a very important conduit in the passage of cargoes from India through the Middle East into Europe.
As I said, evaluating many possibilities both in East Africa as well as Southeast Asia, the larger play that we look at is the IOR region, the BIMSTEC region. These are two important regions because we look at the adjacencies and we will look for adequate partners and there we will have the comfort to do appropriate business in the adjacency of the neighbourhood. We are certainly evaluating”.
The Vizhinjam Port was inaugurated recently. They have set a ballpark figure of 5,000 to 6,000 crore of turnover as soon as the port is functional. A word on that.
“Well, Vizhinjam Port has tested us, given us many lessons on product management. We are very proud to say that the lessons that we have learned are behind us and today we are confident after having birthed the first ship carrying the equipment and cranes on October 15, which was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Kerala in the presence of Mr. Karan Adani as well as all others. What is very unique about the Vizhinjam project is that we have support across. It is as if the spirit of Kerala, the people of Thiruvananthapuram, the people of Vizhinjam have welcomed us and that is very unique and it is our great strength.
We are looking to commission the port sometime in the CY24, maybe in March or April, thereafter you will know that it would be India’s first semiautomated container terminal which will thrust us into the larger league of semi-automated ports across the world. And when we do that, its unique position deep down in the peninsula, very close to the international maritime shipping lines, could see it emerge as a trans-shipment hub. We are seeing an alignment of forces coming towards Vizhinjam. The excitement in which the trade, the shipping lines and the larger EXIM community has evinced interest, it only shows us the way forward.
In phase one, we are spending close to Rs 7,700 crore. In phase two, when we look to develop more than 800 meters of key length, we will have a mega trans-shipment port and something that India needs to be truly proud of and India’s answer to the entire trans-shipment that we are looking for”.
Adani Ports is also looking at opportunities in Colombo, Haifa, East Africa, and Southeast Asia, with a focus on the IOR and BIMSTEC regions. The support from the local community and the interest of trade and shipping lines are driving the project forward.