The first cargo transshipment in the country Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala केरल में देश का पहला कार्गो ट्रांसशिपमेंट विझिंजम अंतर्राष्ट्रीय बंदरगाह
देश को वैश्विक समुद्री व्यापार में नए क्षितिज तलाशने में मदद करते हुए, नवनिर्मित सभी मौसम अनुकूल विझिंजम अंतर्राष्ट्रीय बंदरगाह को शुक्रवार (3 मई, 2025) को प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी ने राष्ट्र को समर्पित किया। Helping the country explore new horizons in the global maritime trade, the newly built all-weather Vizhinjam International Seaport was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi here on Friday (May 3, 2025).
यूरोप, खाड़ी क्षेत्र और सुदूर पूर्व, पूर्व-पश्चिम शिपिंग अक्ष को जोड़ने वाले अंतर्राष्ट्रीय शिपिंग मार्गों से मुश्किल से 10 समुद्री मील की दूरी पर स्थित इस बंदरगाह से माल के परिवहन के लिए अन्य अंतर्राष्ट्रीय बंदरगाहों पर भारत की निर्भरता में उल्लेखनीय कमी आने की उम्मीद है। Positioned hardly 10 nautical miles from the international shipping routes connecting Europe, the Gulf region and the Far East, the east-west shipping axis, the port is expected to significantly reduce India’s dependence on other international ports for transshipment of cargo.
देश का पहला अर्ध-स्वचालित बंदरगाह, इस बंदरगाह का उद्देश्य भारतीय कार्गो ट्रांसशिपमेंट को घर लाना है, जो वर्तमान में सिंगापुर, कोलंबो, सलालाह और दुबई के विदेशी बंदरगाहों पर किया जा रहा है, क्योंकि भारत में अंतर्राष्ट्रीय शिपिंग मार्ग के पास गहरे पानी के बंदरगाहों की अनुपस्थिति है। बंदरगाह के चालू होने के साथ, विझिनजाम भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप के लिए पूरे भारत की सेवा करने वाला एक विश्व स्तरीय ट्रांसशिपमेंट हब बन गया है। The first semi-automated one in the country, the port aims to bring home the Indian cargo transshipment presently being undertaken at the foreign ports of Singapore, Colombo, Salalah, and Dubai due to the absence of deep-water seaports in India near the international shipping route. With the port being commissioned, the Vizhinjam becomes a world-class transshipment hub for the Indian subcontinent to service the entire India.
जिस स्थान पर यह बंदरगाह स्थित है, वहां तट से एक किलोमीटर के अंदर 20 मीटर तक की प्राकृतिक जल गहराई है, जो बहुत बड़े जहाजों के लिए उपयुक्त है। इस बंदरगाह के केरल के साथ-साथ दक्षिण एशिया के समुद्री व्यापार के लिए भी महत्वपूर्ण परिवर्तनकारी साबित होने की उम्मीद है।
With the site where the port is situated having a natural water depth of up to 20 meters within a kilometre from the coast, suitable to accommodate very large mother vessels, the port is expected to be a game changer for Kerala as well as in South Asia’s maritime trade.
Vizhinjam Port
Context:
Vizhinjam International Seaport (1st exclusive trans-shipment port) received its first ship Zhen Hua 15.
About Vizhinjam Port:
- Country’s 1st deep-water container trans-shipment terminal.
- Location – Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram)
- It is being built on a public-private-partnership (PPP) mode set to be completed in 2024.
- Importance –
- Proximity to international shipping routes connecting Europe, the Gulf and East Asia.
- Located within 10 nautical miles of the east-west shipping axis.
- A natural water depth of 18-20 m within a kilometre off the coast, suitable to accommodate very large mother vessels.
- Located on minimal littoral drift resulting in limited maintenance dredging.
- Ideal location for fuel bunkering.
- It is strategically located to efficiently aggregate and transfer cargo of Indian and regional origin onto larger vessels at reduced expenses compared to diverting them through Colombo.
What are Major and Minor Ports?
- Major ports in India are under the ownership and operation of the Central Government.
- In contrast, minor ports are owned and managed by state governments.
- India boasts a total of 12 major seaports and217 designated minor and intermediate ports.
Click here to download Major Ports in India – Map
Click here to view important maps
Classification of Ports:
- Based on cargo handled –
- Industrial ports are specialized in the handling of bulk commodities like grain, sugar, minerals, oil, chemicals, and similar materials.
- Commercial ports manage general cargo, encompassing packaged goods, manufactured products, and also accommodate passenger traffic.
- Comprehensive ports efficiently handle significant quantities of both bulk and general cargo.
- Based on location –
- Interior ports are inland ports that are not situated along the coast; instead, they are linked to the sea via rivers or canals. These ports are accessible to flat-bottomed ships and barges. Example: Kolkata Port on the Hoogli River.
- Out ports are deep-water ports located beyond the primary or main ports. These out ports play a crucial role in assisting the main ports by receiving vessels that are too large to navigate into the main port areas.
Source: The Hindu
Consider the following pairs:
Port: Well known as
1. Kamarajar Port: First major port in India registered as a company
2. Mundra Port: Largest privately owned port in India
3. Visakhapatnam: Largest container port in Port India
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Only one pair
(b) Only two pairs
(c) All three pairs
(d) None of the pairs
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Mundra Port, India’s biggest commercial port by volumes, has overtaken state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to become the country’s largest container gateway by handling 5.65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in FY21, posting a growth of 18 per cent compared to last year. Hence, Pair 3 is not correctly matched.
Port: Well known as
1. Kamarajar Port: First major port in India registered as a company
2. Mundra Port: Largest privately owned port in India
3. Visakhapatnam: Largest container port in Port India
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2023 Prelims]
(a) Only one pair
(b) Only two pairs
(c) All three pairs
(d) None of the pairs
Answer: (b)
Explanation:
Mundra Port, India’s biggest commercial port by volumes, has overtaken state-run Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT) to become the country’s largest container gateway by handling 5.65 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in FY21, posting a growth of 18 per cent compared to last year. Hence, Pair 3 is not correctly matched.