‘100 ships. One destination’: Shashi Tharoor's big praise for Kerala's Vizhinjam Port amid Strait of Hormuz crisis

“100 ships. One destination. The Strait of Hormuz crisis has shifted global shipping eyes to my constituency! Thiruvananthapuram’s Vizhinjam Port is currently seeing a massive surge with 100 vessels in queue or seeking calls,” Tharoor wrote in a post on X.

With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed again amid renewed tensions between the United States and Iran, Thiruvananthapuram's Vizhinjam Port has emerged as a major maritime hub as the world goes through a shipping crisis.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who represents Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram in Lok Sabha, sought to heap praises on the district's Vizhinjam Port on Sunday amid reports that around 100 ships are lined up at the port.

He added that Vizhinjam is India's “transshipment answer to the world” as it handled its 1 millionth twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) in record time and is now fast-tracking Phase II.

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The Vizhinjam International Deepwater Seaport in Kerala, which is India's first deepwater transhipment port, was conceptualised in 1991. From being on paper to now being a global hub for shipping, the project witnessed numerous hurdles, including legal, environmental, logistical, to financial.

The port was built under the public private partnership mode at the cost of ₹8,900 crore and is operated by the Adani Group. The Kerala government holds a majority stake in it.

A transhipment port is a facility where cargo containers are transferred from one ship to another before continuing to their final destination. These ports handle large volumes of international cargo—something India has traditionally depended on foreign hubs such as Colombo to manage.

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Vizhinjam port is ‘global necessity’ Reminiscing when the port was just an idea on paper, Tharoor said, “When I first helped bring in the tender bid that made the port a reality, it was a long-shot project with plenty of sceptics and critics.”

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He added that as the world looks for shipping solutions and a new gateway, Vizhinijam is the answer and has become a “global necessity”.

“Today, the tides are turning at Vizhinjam. With the ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, the world is looking for a new, reliable gateway — and Vizhinjam has answered the call. India’s first deep-water transshipment hub is no longer just a project; it’s a global necessity,” he said.

Detailing the operations at the port, Tharoor said that it handled 61 vessels in last month alone, which a “new record” and that 100 berthing calls remain pending.

“Expansion underway to accommodate 5 motherships simultaneously. We are witnessing the birth of a maritime giant that doesn't just compete with global hubs like Colombo or Singapore; it sets a new standard,” he wrote.

“Posted by a very proud MP!” Tharoor said as he concluded the post.