Thiruvananthapuram: The first export consignment from Vizhinjam International Port left for Valencia, Spain, aboard the MSC Beryl on Tuesday. The eight containers are expected to reach their destination in 20 days.An official said two containers originated in Thiruvananthapuram, while the remaining six were brought from Kochi by road. The containers from Kochi contain seafood while those from Thiruvananthapuram contains ready-to-eat packaged items. This marks the launch of exim operations from the transshipment port.The vessel is part of MSC’s Himalaya service and marks another step forward in strengthening Vizhinjam’s direct international export connectivity. The sailing highlights Vizhinjam’s growing role as a gateway for Indian exporters, providing access to global markets through direct mainline shipping services, said a statement.As the originally designated ship MSC Marie Leslie was taking time to arrive, the shipping company moved the containers to Beryl.The exim operations of the port were officially flagged off by chief minister V D Satheesan on Aug 20. He had said that the state govt had held strategic talks with diverse investors to identify key opportunities to expand exim at Vizhinjam.Sources said that many exporters have shown interest to send their containers from Vizhinjam as it offers direct connectivity without transshipment enroute. Exporters from Kochi are willing to shift while businesses from Coimbatore and Tirupur are exploring options to export their goods through the new port.As the container freight station is not yet operational, exporters can currently route full-container loads through Vizhinjam. Export and import activities are expected to increase once a CFS is established.
