San Fernando Arrives at Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala

On Thursday, the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala welcomed its first mothership, ‘San Fernando.’ This event was attended by Kerala’s Minister of Ports V N Vasavan and Minister for Food and Civil Supplies G R Anil, along with other officials.

The San Fernando, carrying over 1,000 containers, is currently anchored at the port as part of a trial run before commercial operations begin. The port was built by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ) with a total investment of Rs 8,867 crore. The Kerala state government contributed Rs 5,595 crore, while the central government provided Rs 818 crore.

Construction of the port began in 2016 under a public-private partnership. The project was awarded to APSEZ on December 5, 2015, following a concession agreement between the Government of Kerala and Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd. (AVPPL) on August 17, 2015.

Kerala’s Chief Minister, Pinarayi Vijayan, expressed his excitement on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “This Friday (July 12), the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram will host a grand celebration to welcome its first mothership, San Fernando, a Maersk Line Vessel. This event signifies a monumental moment in Kerala’s maritime history and stands as a testament to the unwavering commitment of the Left Democratic Front government to the state’s development.”

Vijayan also praised the Adani Group for their efforts in completing the project, highlighting the success of the public-private partnership. He invited everyone to join in celebrating this historic achievement, which marks a new era of progress and prosperity for Kerala.

Last October, Karan Adani, CEO of Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd., announced that the port would be capable of docking some of the world’s largest container ships and would become a global bunkering hub, supplying green fuel like hydrogen and ammonia. During the inaugural ship docking ceremony, Karan Adani noted the port’s potential to compete with leading global ports despite numerous challenges, including cyclones, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Vizhinjam International Seaport has created over 5,000 direct jobs and is expected to significantly boost the industry, commerce, transportation, and tourism sectors.