'Remarkable achievement': Vizhinjam welcomes 1,000th vessel, joins world's fastest-growing ports club

The Adani Group-operated Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala on Wednesday welcomed its 1,000th commercial vessel, achieving a milestone less than two years after handling its first commercial ship.

The 1,000th vessel, the mothership MSC Luciana, berthed at the port at around 4.30 pm, according to the port authorities.

Calling it a "remarkable achievement", Vizhinjam said the feat makes it one of the fastest ports in the world to cross the 1,000-vessel mark in under two years of operations.

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Vizhinjam Port: Rapid rise since launch

Vizhinjam received its first commercial vessel, San Fernando of Maersk, on July 11, 2024. Full-fledged commercial operations at the port began on December 3, 2024.

The latest milestone comes months after the deep-water port crossed another major benchmark.

Till May this year, Vizhinjam had handled more than 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) within just 18 months of commencing operations, becoming the fastest Indian port to achieve the milestone.

According to operator Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, the port crossed the 1 million TEU mark in August 2025 and doubled that volume within a short period after trial operations began in July 2024.

The port was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2025.

Strategic location drives growth

A key factor behind Vizhinjam's rapid growth is its location along one of the world's busiest maritime corridors.

Situated just 10 nautical miles from the international shipping route connecting Europe, the Persian Gulf, and the Far East, the port enjoys direct access to the East-West trade axis that carries a significant share of global maritime commerce.

Its proximity to the route allows large container vessels to call at the port without major deviation, strengthening Vizhinjam's position as a global transshipment hub.