Thiruvananthapuram: Handling of ships and cargo is set to increase at Vizhinjam port after Switzerland-based MSC Group acquired a 49% in the port for Rs 13,000 crore. MSC, the world’s largest container shipping company, will make the investment through its terminal investment arm, TiL. The deal is expected to boost terminal handling capacity at the port, driving expansion and a rise in cargo movement. Vizhinjam currently has a capacity of 1.6 million Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit (TEUs) and is undergoing expansion that will raise capacity to between 3.5 million and 5.7 million TEUs a year. MSC operates terminals at ports across the US, Europe, Singapore and China. The partnership enhances volume visibility and accelerates ramp-up at Vizhinjam port, supported by incremental cargo volumes, a statement said. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ), India’s largest and one of the world’s fastest-growing integrated transport operators, has partnered with MSC Group, the world’s largest transport and logistics conglomerate, for the deal. Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL) is the concessionaire company for Vizhinjam Port. Ashwani Gupta, whole-time director and CEO of APSEZ, said: “Vizhinjam Port has grown rapidly and has already emerged as one of the country’s key transshipment hubs. Within just 18 months of starting operations, it became the first Indian port to handle 2 million TEUs. We are delighted to extend our long-term partnership with MSC to Vizhinjam as well. This alliance will enhance global supply chain efficiency and reinforce India’s access to major international markets.” The partnership is expected to help the port achieve growth targets faster through additional cargo volumes, capture a greater share of Bangladesh cargo currently routed through Southeast Asian transshipment hubs, strengthen its presence on East African trade routes, and boost relay cargo volumes. This marks the third major collaboration between APSEZ and MSC, following earlier joint ventures at the ports of Mundra and Ennore. The deal represents the single largest foreign private investment in Indian port infrastructure and cements Vizhinjam’s position as a dominant transshipment gateway in the Indian Ocean region, the statement said. In FY 2025-26, Vizhinjam Port handled 1.3 million TEUs. In its first year of operations, it processed 615 vessels and 1.3 million TEUs, becoming the fastest Indian port to cross the 1 million TEU mark. Within 18 months, it surpassed 2 million TEUs and 950 vessels, setting another national record. Last week, the port welcomed its 1,000th vessel. So far, Vizhinjam has handled more than 70 ultra-large container vessels, 283 ships longer than 300 metres, and 98 vessels requiring drafts of more than 16 metres — the highest such figures among Indian ports.
