Keralam CM flags off containers from Vizhinjam, marking start of EXIM operations

Chief Minister of Keralam V D Satheesan on Tuesday flagged off two containers from Vizhinjam, marking the commencement of EXIM operations from the international seaport here.

Satheesan, accompanied by state Minister for Industries, Information Technology, and Commerce P K Kunhalikutty and Congress MLA M Vincent, also launched 'Mission Samudra', a port-led industrial and logistics development scheme.

In his inaugural speech, the CM said that the commencement of the export-import (EXIM) operations was an important moment in the development history of the state as now goods can be sent to any port in the world from here and imports will also take place soon.

He said that the port was the first one in India to have automated algorithm and artificial intelligence driven system, making Vizhinjam the number one seaport in the country.

Satheesan said that had rail and road connectivity been completed in the last 10 years, the gains for the state would have been 100-fold more than they will be now.

He said that while the connectivity was delayed, it still was not too late and the current government was taking active steps to address it.

"One of the first decisions taken by this government after coming to power was to decide to give Rs 3,200 crore for acquiring land for the Rs 15,000 crore ring road project. Had we done it earlier, it would have cost us only Rs 1,600 crore.

"All the obligations of the government, which were missed out in the last 10 years, contained in the concession agreement will be fulfilled in a time-bound manner," he contended.

Satheesan said the aim of the government is to have logistics parks, warehousing stations, container wait stations, free industry zones, fish processing zones, etc in connection with the port and for that Infrastructure Kerala Ltd (INKEL) and Kerala Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (KINFRA) have been directed to acquire the necessary land in Thiruvananthapuram.

He further said that the two containers flagged off as part of the start of export-import operations, contained various food products, including idli, sambar and banana fritters and emphasised upon the government's plan to export traditional items, like cashew and coir, from the state to all parts of the world.

"We announced in the budget that products and value-added items made in the state will be given the Keralam brand after examining them and our dream is to export such products from here and this EXIM operation is a part of achieving that," he said.

Referring to Mission Samudra, whose logo was also launched by the CM at the event, Satheesan said its aim was to integrate two international seaports, a container station and 18 mini ports to transform Keralam into a port-city.

He said that the ports needed to be developed and it required private investment for which the government was holding talks.

As part of Mission Samudra, the government was also planning to have a cruise ship terminal Kochi for which necessary land has been promised to the Kochi port, he said.

Besides that, the government also plans to connect passenger ships with the rivers, lakes and backwaters in the state to develop big tourism projects, like river cruises, he said in his speech.

He also spoke of steps being taken to establish an oceanarium in Kochi and build an international-standards museum to showcase the maritime history of the state.

Additionally, the CM said that ports can be connected with academic programmes to generate jobs for the youth as they complete their studies and a consultancy service can be started in Vizhinjam to offer its expertise in port construction and management.

"We have a lot of possibilities before for us and our dream is to make use of them for the benefit of our state and the nation.The first step in that direction has started here with the commencement of the EXIM operations," he said.

In an X post after the inauguration, the CM said, "Happy to inaugurate and flag off EXIM operations at Vizhinjam International Seaport, marking its transformation into a fully operational port, and to launch Mission Samudra, a major initiative aimed at harnessing Keralam’s maritime potential."

In the post, he said that the government's focus was on ensuring seamless connectivity between Vizhinjam and Keralam’s road, rail and logistics networks, to enable faster and more efficient movement of goods.

"Through Mission Samudra, we are strengthening the maritime ecosystem around Vizhinjam and unlocking new opportunities in logistics, industry, exports and employment. Vizhinjam is more than a port. It is a gateway connecting Keralam to the world and a catalyst for our next phase of development.

"Our priority is to build the infrastructure and connectivity required to realise its full potential and position Keralam firmly on the global maritime and trade map," he said.

The deep-water port has been developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India's largest port developer and part of the Adani Group, under a public-private partnership model at an estimated cost of Rs 8,867 crore.

The port was dedicated to the nation in May 2025 and had received commercial commissioning certificate in December 2024.