Adani Vizhinjam International Seaport Crosses 2 Million TEUs In Record 18 Months

Adani Vizhinjam International Seaport has made history by crossing the landmark milestone of handling 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) within just 18 months of starting operations.

The rapid scale-up makes it the fastest Indian port to achieve this feat. Developed and operated by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ), the deep-water hub has quickly established itself as a major competitive force in global maritime trade.

The mega port commenced trial operations in July 2024 and was officially dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in May 2025. It hit the 1 million TEU mark in August 2025, showing an aggressive pace of growth within a highly volatile global trade environment.

As geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflicts in West Asia disrupt traditional supply chains, shipping lines are actively searching for route stability. Vizhinjam's operational efficiency offers global carriers a critical alternative route along the busy Indian Ocean corridor.

World’s Largest Ships

The port’s infrastructure allows it to dock next-generation mega-ships that few other global terminals can accommodate. Vizhinjam has already handled more than 950 vessels, a number that includes 67 Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) stretching nearly 400 meters in length.

Among these notable arrivals are the MSC Irina, currently recognized as the world's largest container ship, and the MSC Verona, one of the deepest-draft vessels ever to dock in India. The port's natural 20-meter deep draft allows these massive ships to berth easily without the need for extensive and costly dredging.

Breaking Dependency on Foreign Hubs

Located just 10 nautical miles from the primary east-west international shipping route, the seaport functions as a strategic gateway linking South Asia, West Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America.

This geographic location is helping India retain a larger share of its transshipment cargo domestically. For decades, Indian trade heavily relied on foreign ports across Asia to handle transshipment traffic. Vizhinjam's expansion is systematically shifting that dynamic, keeping economic value and trade control within the country.

The performance aligns with broader corporate milestones for the operator. APSEZ recently became the first Indian integrated transport firm to manage more than 500 million metric tonnes of cargo in a single year, anchoring its position as the nation's top private ports operator.

To prepare for future demand, a ₹16,000 crore Phase 2 expansion is already underway at the Kerala terminal. Slated for completion by 2028, this next stage will significantly boost container handling capacity and set the stage for full-scale export-import (EXIM) operations.

Also read: RBI Annual Report: India GDP Grows 7.6%, UPI Hits 200 Billion Mark