The Vizhinjam International Seaport marked a milestone in the maritime and logistics infrastructure of the Indian state of Kerala on Monday with the official launch of EXIM cargo operations (Export and Import). Following the inaugural ceremony attended by the Cochin Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the facility began direct foreign trade operations. The logistics platform features an 800-metre berth, an adjacent depth of 19 metres and heavy equipment for handling high-tonnage containers.
The site is launching this operational phase as part of the international rotations of shipping line Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), connecting India’s southwestern coast with major routes in the Eastern Mediterranean and West Africa. The infrastructure also enables the comprehensive handling of perishable and temperature-controlled cargo through refrigerated storage systems.
Las Palmas, an Atlantic port of call for the M.V. MSC BERYL
As part of this new transoceanic link, the container ship M.V. MSC BERYL is scheduled to arrive in Vizhinjam on August 28, 2026. The vessel will load approximately 500 TEUs bound for the network of key ports in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. The Port of Las Palmas is among the designated discharge points on the route, serving as a redistribution hub for the African continent and Macaronesia.
The MSC BERYL rotation includes a chain of strategic calls at the Gran Canaria port alongside the European and North African ports of Sines, Valencia, Barcelona, Gioia Tauro, Messina and Abu Qir. The addition of Vizhinjam to this circuit strengthens direct connectivity between Asian manufacturing and redistribution terminals in the Mid-Atlantic.
Expansion plans through 2028
Although the Indian port currently operates under direct port delivery (DPD) and direct port export (DPE) schemes, development of the complex includes the priority construction of container freight stations (CFS), empty-container depots and the introduction of rail and ICD connectivity for inland transport.
The project includes a second expansion phase that will add 1,200 metres of berth line by the end of 2028. The extension aims to triple the facility’s receiving capacity, attract new global shipping alliances and consolidate Vizhinjam as a deep-water transshipment hub on the ocean route between Asia and Europe.
The article New MSC Route at the Port of Las Palmas: Vizhinjam Connects India with the Canary Islands was first published on canarymaritime.com.
