Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram

The Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram (English pronunciation: /vɪzɪnˈdʒam ˌɪntərˈnæʃənl ˈsiːpɔːt ˌtɪrʊvənənˈtɑːpʊrəm/, VIZH-in-jam in-ter-NASH-uh-nuhl SEE-port thir-uh-vuh-nuh-thuh-PUR-uhm) is India's first deep water container transshipment port, located in the capital city Trivandrum, Kerala, the port is designed to be a multi-purpose, all-weather, green port located 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) away from the Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. It is poised to become India's first Mother port and holds a unique position as the only Indian port directly adjacent to an international shipping lane. The port's location offers a significant advantage: it lies just 10 nautical miles (19 km) from the heavily trafficked east-west shipping channel connecting Europe, the Persian Gulf, Southeast Asia, and the Far East. The port has a natural depth of 24 meters, which reduces the need for dredging, and possesses the capability to host many of the world's massive cargo ships, including those exceeding 24,000 TEU, such as vessels of the ULCS container ships like the MSC Irina. The cruise berth under construction along the breakwater will be able to handle large cruise ships such as the Icon of the seas. The Seaport's location offers an advantage as it is situated near an international shipping channel, facilitating connections to global trade routes. When fully commissioned, it is expected that the seaport may have the capacity to cater to 50 percent of the container transhipment needs of India that currently take place at Dubai, Colombo and Singapore. The first phase of the project amounts to ₹8,867 crore, and the remaining phases cost ₹20,000 crore making the total cost ₹28,867 crore.