THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the capacity of the Vizhinjam deepwater port will triple in three years, allowing some of the world's largest cargo ships to dock here smoothly.
PM said the port will reduce India's reliance on foreign transshipment hubs where 75% of its transshipments currently happen, in what was an obvious reference to Colombo and Singapore. He added that this shift could boost revenue retention and create new opportunities in Kerala.
The Rs 8,800 crore Vizhinjam project is India's first dedicated transshipment hub with its natural depth of nearly 20 metres allowing large ships to berth, something that is not possible at the smaller ports in the country.
Modi linked the project to India's broader maritime strategy, referring to Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision and India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor announced at the G20 summit. While the port itself was under development for years, much of the construction and equipment involved private sector collaboration, particularly Adani Ports , which is operating the terminal.
In a lighter vein, PM also commented on the role of private investment in the project. "When the people of Gujarat learn that Adani built such a great port in Kerala, after working on a port in Gujarat for 30 years without building anything like this, they'll be upset with him," he said, drawing laughter from the audience.
Highlighting govt's focus on maritime development in past 10 years, Modi mentioned about the 30% reduction in turnaround time of ships at India's major ports. He also said the reformed regulations concerning Indian seafarers, was yielding significant results. While in 2014, the number of Indian seafarers was little over 1.2 lakh, today this has surged beyond 3.2 lakh.
The event, held on the birth anniversary of Adi Shankaracharya - a figure Modi often mentioned - highlighted Kerala's growing importance in India's economic and maritime plans. Modi linked the port's opening to the spiritual legacy of the Kerala-born philosopher, saying his teachings laid the foundation for unity and that Kerala is now being positioned as a key part of India's economic future.
The port was inaugurated at a time when Kerala's economy faces rising debt and limited fiscal space, with the state govt seeking more central assistance. The PM highlighted several infrastructure projects the Centre has supported in the state, including the long-delayed Kollam and Alappuzha bypasses, as well as new investments like the Kochi shipbuilding and repair cluster.
PM said the port will reduce India's reliance on foreign transshipment hubs where 75% of its transshipments currently happen, in what was an obvious reference to Colombo and Singapore. He added that this shift could boost revenue retention and create new opportunities in Kerala.
The Rs 8,800 crore Vizhinjam project is India's first dedicated transshipment hub with its natural depth of nearly 20 metres allowing large ships to berth, something that is not possible at the smaller ports in the country.
Modi linked the project to India's broader maritime strategy, referring to Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision and India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor announced at the G20 summit. While the port itself was under development for years, much of the construction and equipment involved private sector collaboration, particularly Adani Ports , which is operating the terminal.
In a lighter vein, PM also commented on the role of private investment in the project. "When the people of Gujarat learn that Adani built such a great port in Kerala, after working on a port in Gujarat for 30 years without building anything like this, they'll be upset with him," he said, drawing laughter from the audience.
Highlighting govt's focus on maritime development in past 10 years, Modi mentioned about the 30% reduction in turnaround time of ships at India's major ports. He also said the reformed regulations concerning Indian seafarers, was yielding significant results. While in 2014, the number of Indian seafarers was little over 1.2 lakh, today this has surged beyond 3.2 lakh.
The event, held on the birth anniversary of Adi Shankaracharya - a figure Modi often mentioned - highlighted Kerala's growing importance in India's economic and maritime plans. Modi linked the port's opening to the spiritual legacy of the Kerala-born philosopher, saying his teachings laid the foundation for unity and that Kerala is now being positioned as a key part of India's economic future.
The port was inaugurated at a time when Kerala's economy faces rising debt and limited fiscal space, with the state govt seeking more central assistance. The PM highlighted several infrastructure projects the Centre has supported in the state, including the long-delayed Kollam and Alappuzha bypasses, as well as new investments like the Kochi shipbuilding and repair cluster.
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