Vizhinjam Seaport Launches Direct Export-Import Cargo Operations

The Vizhinjam International Seaport will begin direct export-import (EXIM) cargo operations on August 18, 2026. This transition shifts the port's role from a primary international transshipment hub to a commercial gateway for India's overseas trade, allowing it to handle cargo originating from and destined for Indian importers and exporters.

Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan will formally inaugurate the operations by flagging off the first export container. The ceremony will be attended by Union Minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal. The rollout follows a successful trial run in which the port's first export container was shipped to Valencia, Spain. The Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Kochi, has established an operational framework for a phased approach focusing on full-container-load imports and factory-stuffed exports.

To support this expansion, the Government of Kerala is launching Mission Samudra, a port-led industrial and logistics development scheme. The initiative aims to create a Vizhinjam Maritime Economic Region featuring eight industrial clusters and three new cities, backed by a 400-crore rupee catalytic fund. Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor noted that approximately 60 percent of containers previously handled by the port were destined for or originated from other countries.