Vizhinjam Port Empowers Youth, Over 770 Hired So Far

The first phase of Vizhinjam International Port has been completed with the signing of the VGF (Viability Gap Funding) agreements. V. N. Vasavan, Minister for ports, said, 774 people have been appointed at the Vizhinjam International Port so far, 59 percent of whom are from Kerala. Of 534 people from Kerala who have been appointed, 453 are from Thiruvananthapuram district itself. Of these, 256 are residents to Vizhinjam. He was distributing certificates and announcing placements to those who completed training at the Vizhinjam Skill Development Center.

Minister also affirmed that the government’s promise that the Vizhinjam international port will provide numerous job opportunities locally when it becomes real, is being implemented. The LDF government is moving forward by keeping its promise to the people; the minister added.

The Vizhinjam Skill Development Center, under the auspices of ASAP, is becoming a major center that opens up job opportunities for our youth, especially those from coastal area, through skill training. Those who have completed their learning and training at the Skill Development Center are now getting jobs at the Vizhinjam International Port. The Minister declared that it’s a great achievement that among the beneficiaries who have been given jobs are also from fishermen’s families from coastal region.

The government aims to fully equip Vizhinjam Port by 2028. The trial run, which began in July 2024, was successfully completed and over one lakh containers arrived in March this year itself. So far, 521784 TEU containers in 256 ships have been handles as a part of port operations. When road and rail connectivity facilitate freight transport, the Vizhnam port will open up huge developmental opportunities for Kerala. Vizhinjam can handle a major part of country’s freight’s exchange. It can create wide employment opportunities too, the minister mentioned.

The minister presented certificates and placement orders to six lashers and eight internal transfer vehicle drivers who had received training at the Vizhinjam Skill Development Center. He also handed over an agreement to assign the entire cleaning duty of the port to the women’s group V-Smart.

In the program, Vizhinjam International Sea-port ltd managing Director Dr. Divya S. Aiyer, Port Special Secretary A. Kaushik, Adani Vizhinjam Port Chief Executive Officer Pradeep Jayaraman and others participated. Training courses are being provided in the field of Lasher, ITV (Internal Transfer Vehicle) drivers, housekeeping through the Vizhinjam Community Skill Park. All the three batches of ITV and two batches of Lasher courses that have completed the training have been employed at Vizhinjam port.
MSC Turkiye’s Docking at Vizhinjam Port; Another Milestone

One of the world’s largest and most fuel-efficient container ships, MSC Türkiye, docked at Vizhinjam International Seaport, Wednesday. Minister said this marks the first-ever docking of the giant container ship at an Indian port as well as in South Asia.

This is a historical milestone in Indian naval history. The arrival of MSC Turkiye underlines that the world’s largest container ships (ULCV) can easily reach the Vizhinjam port.

MSC Turkiye, operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), is a technological marvel. Fuel-efficiency and technology to reduce environmental pollution set this ship unique.

Vizhinjam Port operates with modern facilities to handle world’s largest ships. It has a 20meter natural depth. This is why it is more prestigious than other Asian ports like Dubai, Colombo, Singapore ports. Vizhinjam is a gem on the main shipping route that connects Europe, Persi, Gulf, South-East Asia and the Far East.