<p data-path-to-node="2"><b data-path-to-node="2" data-index-in-node="0">VIZHINJAM</b> — In an aggressive engineering drive to cement India’s flagship transshipment gateway as the central maritime pivot of the Indian Ocean rim, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) has initiated the final, intensive capital dredging phase along the southern turning basin and outer approach fairways at Vizhinjam International Transshipment Deepwater Seaport.</p><p data-path-to-node="3">The targeted marine deepening operations are engineered to establish and maintain an unyielding 20-metre draught clearance across the entire operational approach fairway and along the main berth frontage, with turning basins precision-dredged to between 20.5 and 21 metres. This nautical depth profile guarantees that next-generation Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) and Megamax-class container ships—boasting capacities of 24,000 TEUs and above—can execute direct, tidal-independent arrivals and departures at maximum commercial displacement.</p><p data-path-to-node="4">High-capacity trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHD) alongside specialized cutter suction dredgers (CSD) have been deployed across the southern harbor basin to remove hard seabed strata and seabed shoals before late-autumn sea swells set in. The accelerated bathymetric profiling operates in tandem with ongoing civil works on the port's multi-kilometre rubble-mound breakwater extension, ensuring that the inner berthing basin remains completely protected from hydrodynamic wave action during deep-draft vessel maneuvers.</p><p data-path-to-node="5" id="p-rc_8d802e1a53f97f4e-278"><span data-path-to-node="5,0">Historically, India’s maritime export-import architecture suffered from restrictive natural drafts across its legacy mainland gateways, which routinely range between 12 and 15 metres. This physical barrier made direct alongside berthing impossible for fully laden 24,000-TEU container carriers, forcing the Indian subcontinent to route upwards of 70% to 75% of its containerized transshipment volume through foreign offshore relay terminals, principally Colombo, Singapore, Port Klang, and Jebel Ali</span><span data-path-to-node="5,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1719680759="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1719680759="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="5,2">. This intermediate dependency added substantial feeder freight surcharges, secondary handling costs, and intermediate dwell times, while leaving domestic manufacturers vulnerable to overseas container yard congestions and blank sailings</span><span data-path-to-node="5,3"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1719680759="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1719680759="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="5,4">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c4093912687=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="6" id="p-rc_8d802e1a53f97f4e-279"><span data-path-to-node="6,0">Vizhinjam's geographical position—barely 10 to 12 nautical miles from the primary East-West international shipping superhighway carrying the bulk of Europe-Asia container traffic—coupled with an unconstrained 20-metre operational draft, eliminates the need for expensive sailing detours or draft trimming</span><span data-path-to-node="6,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1719680759="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1719680759="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="6,2">. Fully laden mother vessels can transition straight from international sea lanes into quayside berths within 45 minutes of picking up harbor pilots.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c4093912687=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="7" id="p-rc_8d802e1a53f97f4e-280"><span data-path-to-node="7,0">The deepening initiative is synchronized with the fast-tracked civil engineering on the port’s ₹16,000-crore Phase 2 and Phase 3 expansion program</span><span data-path-to-node="7,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1719680759="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1719680759="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="7,2">. As the quay line is systematically extended toward a continuous 2,000-metre berth deck, APSEZ is installing automated Super Post-Panamax Ship-to-Shore (STS) twin-lift rail gantry cranes capable of an outreach spanning 24 container rows across wide-beam decks</span><span data-path-to-node="7,3"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1719680759="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1719680759="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="7,4">. Landside operations are integrated with Automated Stacking Cranes (ASCs) and dynamic optical character recognition (OCR) gate portals to ensure that multi-thousand container exchanges do not bottleneck inland drayage</span><span data-path-to-node="7,5"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1719680759="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1719680759="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="7,6">.</span><sources-carousel-inline ng-version="0.0.0-PLACEHOLDER" _nghost-ng-c4093912687=""><!----></sources-carousel-inline></p><p data-path-to-node="8" id="p-rc_8d802e1a53f97f4e-281"><span data-path-to-node="8,0">Port operational directors affirmed that deepening the fairway to handle Megamax vessels year-round provides mainline ocean alliances with the nautical assurances required to anchor primary line-haul loops permanently at the Kerala hub</span><span data-path-to-node="8,1"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1719680759="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1719680759="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="8,2">. By directly absorbing regional feeder connections shuttling from western and eastern Indian major ports, Vizhinjam is capturing high-value maritime transshipment revenues within domestic territory, solidifying India’s transshipment independence and aligning with the overarching objectives of the national <i data-path-to-node="8,2" data-index-in-node="308">Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047</i></span><span data-path-to-node="8,3"><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><source-footnote _nghost-ng-c1719680759="" class="ng-star-inserted"><sup _ngcontent-ng-c1719680759="" class="superscript"><!----></sup></source-footnote><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----><!----></span><span data-path-to-node="8,4">.</span></p>