Vizhinjam port commissioning during Onam, first mothership to India on July 11, trial run to be inaugurated by CM on July 12

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The massive mothership, the first to come to India, will reach Vizhinjam on July 11.

The container ship will be berthed on July 12 and a trial run will be conducted, which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Minister VN Vasavan announced that Vizhinjam International Port will be commissioned in Onam.

The minister was speaking to the media after the review meeting related to the trial run. Although only one vessel will arrive for the trial run, a series of vessels will arrive prior to commissioning. Union ministers from Kerala will be invited to the commissioning ceremony. NABARD will take loan to avail state assistance to the port.

"A tripartite agreement will be signed this month for the VGF contract from the Centre. Rail connectivity will be established within two years. Ring road will also be constructed. The background facilities have been completed. All the concerns of the port will be resolved before commissioning. The meeting was attended by Minister Saji Cherian, M Vincent MLA, Mayor Arya Rajendran, VISL authorities and Adani Ports authorities.

1500 containers in first shipment

The first huge ship arrives with 1500 containers. The berthing time of the container ship which will reach the offshore has not been fixed. Containers will be returned within 24 hours of unloading. Details of the vessel have not been released. Processes including emigration are to be completed. It will be available in a few days.

Not just the trial

The arrival of the first ship is not experimental. The first containership operation will take place on July 12th. With this, the port operation is starting. The ship arrives with containers bound for different states. Until now, it was brought to India in small ships after being unloaded at the ports of other countries. Containers unloaded at Vizhinjam will be taken to ports in other states by small ships.