India's Ports, Ships and Seas
Transshipment and the Vizhinjam Port
Why much Indian cargo has been transferred between ships in Colombo or Singapore, and how deep-water ports like Vizhinjam aim to bring that business home.
Many containers bound to or from India are transshipped: moved from a small ship to a large ship at a hub port abroad.
The problem
- A large share of India’s container transshipment has happened at Colombo, Singapore and other foreign hubs.
- This adds time and costs, and Indian ports lose revenue.
Why it happened
- The largest ships need deep water, and few Indian ports had enough depth.
- Cabotage rules once restricted foreign ships moving cargo between Indian ports.
Vizhinjam
- Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala, developed by Adani Ports, began operations in 2024 and was formally commissioned in 2025.
- It has natural deep water close to international shipping lanes.
- It aims to become India’s first major transshipment hub.
Other projects
- Galathea Bay in the Nicobar Islands is planned as a transshipment port.
- Vadhavan port in Maharashtra, approved in 2024, is planned as one of the world’s largest deep-water ports.
Benefits
- Saved costs for traders.
- Revenue and jobs in India.
- Strategic control of trade routes.
The Colombo detour
A container of textiles from Tiruppur travels by small ship to Colombo, waits for a big ship, then sails to Europe. With a deep-water hub in India, it could skip the detour.
Thinking all Indian cargo sails directly to its destination
Much has been transshipped at foreign hubs like Colombo.
Key takeaways
- Much Indian cargo has been transshipped at foreign hubs.
- Shallow ports and old rules contributed.
- Vizhinjam in Kerala started operations in 2024 as a transshipment hub.
- Vadhavan and Galathea Bay are planned deep-water ports.
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