The Vizhinjam International Seaport will commence full export-import (EXIM) operations on August 18, in what is being described as a significant milestone in Kerala’s economic growth. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will flag off the first export container at a ceremony scheduled for 10.45 a.m. on August 18. Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal will be the chief guest.

The event also marks the formal transition of the port from a transhipment hub into what is being positioned as India’s most important commercial gateway. The State government will use the occasion to launch ‘Mission Samudra’, a port-led industrial and logistics development scheme built around the vision of a ‘Port City’ positioning Vizhinjam as the anchor of a wider Vizhinjam Maritime Economic Region spanning 8 industrial clusters, 3 new cities and the State’s 600-km coastline.

The mission is backed by a ₹400-crore catalytic fund split across three verticals -- Ports and Connectivity, Logistics Development, and Clusters and Cities -- along with a horizontal component for programme management and capacity building, spread over 14 sub-schemes in all. The move to full operations follows the successful completion of a trial run involving the port’s first export container, which was shipped to Valencia, Spain.

Published - August 16, 2026 09:05 pm IST