T’puram: Kerala Maritime Board (KMB) formally invited expressions of interest (EOI) from private developers for the development of five acres of port land with beachfront at Vizhinjam under a public-private partnership (PPP) framework. The notice, published this week, seeks proposals to be submitted on or before March 30, marking a key step in utilizing land adjacent to Vizhinjam. The land is located near Inspection Bungalow, Vizhinjam.The EOI allows interested companies and investors to access detailed documents via board’s official website.
The move comes as Vizhinjam, home to India’s first deepwater transhipment port, continues to rapidly expand its footprint on the global maritime map. In May last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Vizhinjam International Deepwater Seaport, heralding it as a “symbol of new-age development” and a catalyst for maritime security and trade growth. The state govt is simultaneously pushing ahead with a major Phase II expansion, expected to be inaugurated early this year. The project aims to extend berth lengths and breakwaters and add rail, liquid and multi-purpose terminals, vastly increasing capacity and strengthening Vizhinjam’s role as a regional hub. Economic planners view infrastructure such as the proposed ring road and rail connectivity as crucial to ensuring seamless cargo movement to and from the port. Ongoing work on the Vizhinjam-Navaikulam outer ring road and a dedicated rail tunnel connecting the port to national rail system are expected to further reduce logistics costs and enhance accessibility.
