Vizhinjam port, operated by the Kerala Maritime Board (KMB), has been notified as a customs port, enabling the import and export of cargo using mid-sized vessels as well as the docking of smaller international passenger cruise ships.
The notification covers the port’s 7,360 sq m seaward wharf, allowing vessels with a draft of up to six metres to berth. With this approval, import and export cargo can now be unloaded, stored in designated customs areas, and processed at the port, officials said.
An official noted that while the leeward wharf had already been notified as a customs area, extending the same status to the seaward wharf will significantly improve operational flexibility. “Ships arriving from nearby foreign destinations such as the Maldives can now unload and load cargo at Vizhinjam. Cargo can be parked in notified customs areas and subjected to stuffing and destuffing operations,” the official said.
Customs authorities have also approved the coordinates for unloading imported goods and loading export cargo, subject to strict compliance with the provisions of the Customs Act.
Welcoming the move, Jude Sajith Dcruz of the Vizhinjam Steamer Agents Association said the notification would be a major boost for cargo movement using small and medium-sized vessels. “Port charges at large ports like Vizhinjam can be substantial. This notification will benefit operators using smaller ships and also support the handling of coastal cargo from other ports, including minor ports,” he said.
The development aligns with the Kerala Maritime Board’s broader strategy to develop small ports along the state’s coastline for both cargo and passenger movement. Along with Kollam, Vizhinjam is expected to emerge as a key node in this network.
The notification is also seen as a significant boost to KMB’s efforts to attract international passenger cruise traffic, particularly routes connecting the Middle East with smaller ports in Kerala.
Both the seaward and leeward wharfs are 80 metres long, with the seaward wharf compliant with ISPS (International Ship and Port Facility Security) Level 1 standards. Sea depth ranges from 23 to 27 metres at three nautical miles from the coast, making the port suitable for a variety of vessel types. Notably, Vizhinjam had earlier facilitated international crew change operations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
