Once a bustling maritime hub that allured traders from Arabia, the Mediterranean, and China, a little-known fishing harbour resting in the shadows of history is now making a mighty return to shape modern India’s maritime vision. This is the journey of Vizhinjam, a vibrant coastal village in Kerala’s southernmost district of Thiruvananthapuram. On 2 May 2025, Vizhinjam resurged onto India’s maritime map as Prime Minister Narendra Modi commissioned the country’s first deepwater multipurpose transhipment port, officially known as Vizhinjam International Seaport Thiruvananthapuram.
Vizhinjam is expected to end India’s reliance on foreign ports for its transhipment needs and reduce logistics costs for the country’s exports and imports. With its natural deep draft and proximity to the international shipping route, the port has the potential to transform India into a global maritime powerhouse, challenging regional transhipment hubs such as Colombo, Singapore and even Dubai.
Positioned as a strategic asset in India’s Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, Vizhinjam represents not only a major infrastructure milestone but also a transformation in the country’s maritime capabilities.
Tracing Vizhinjam’s remarkable voyage into India’s maritime spotlight, this article explores its ancient trading roots, the challenges en route to its transformation into the country’s first deepwater transhipment hub, its technical uniqueness, the new opportunities it opens across the Indian Ocean and its growing geopolitical significance.
FROM SPICES TO SHIPS: THE REVIVAL OF VIZHINJAM PORT
Historical texts and archaeological evidence reveal that Vizhinjam was once a major centre of arms production and maritime trade. While Kerala’s famous spices attracted merchants from Europe, West Asia, and East Asia to its ports, Vizhinjam stood out for its natural deep draft. In the earliest known history of the region, this natural port was part of the Ay Kingdom. Sometime between the 7th and 9th centuries, the Pandyas, the Tamil rulers who were a force in south India from the 4th to the 16th century, attacked and conquered this vital trading hub. However, they faced strong resistance from the rival Chera kingdoms. As Pandya power began to decline, the Cholas established their authority over the region. Subsequently, the area came under the control of the Venad Kingdom and, later, the Kingdom of Travancore. Political instability persisted until the 12th century due to prolonged contestation among the Pandyas, Ays, Cheras, and Cholas for control of this immensely valuable maritime asset.
A series of battles and widespread destruction led to the decline of the economic and military significance of the region. Its forts and mansions, once noted in the accounts of early travellers and Tamil Sangam literature, vanished into the mists of history. This transformation was complete when colonial powers began to prefer Kochi and Madras as maritime trade hubs.
Efforts to restore Vizhinjam’s lost maritime prominence began in the 18th century under the Kingdom of Travancore and continued by various governments after India’s independence. In the 1790s, Raja Kesavadas, the Dewan of Travancore, took initial steps to develop Vizhinjam into a small trading port. The idea of constructing a modern port at Vizhinjam was first proposed in 1940 by Sir C. P. Ramaswamy Iyer, the Dewan of the former state of Travancore. However, his idea did not materialise as the colonial administration had no interest in the project.
Since the formation of the state of Kerala in 1956, several attempts were made to construct a major port at Vizhinjam. However, these efforts did not yield the desired results due to various challenges. Finally, in December 2013, the UDF government led by Oommen Chandy floated yet another global tender for the project. This time, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) emerged as the sole successful bidder.
