Thiruvananthapuram | Putting an end to the persistent demand of the state government, the Union government has allocated an immigration counter at the Vizhinjam International Sea Port Limited, enabling crew-change facilities at the port and potentially boosting development in the area.

So far, the foreign crew that came along large cargo ships at Vizhinjam port had no option of getting out of the port due to the unavailability of immigration counters.

Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) sources said that they have got the information and are awaiting the formal order from the Centre to set up the facility.

"We have got the confirmation but finer details need to be worked out. We at present have the customs counter here for the cargo and once the immigration counter also opens, it would facilitate free movement of the ship crew in and out of the Vizhinjam International Seaport," an FRRO official told PTI.

In the Ministry of Home Affairs notification issued on November 20, the central government has authorised three new seaports to serve as official entry points for international travel and trade.

It added Vizhinjam International Sea Port in Kerala, along with Hazira and Pipavav in Gujarat, to its list of designated immigration checkposts.

The decision, made using powers under the Immigration and Foreigners Act 2025, means these ports are now equipped to handle the formal arrival and departure of foreign nationals and vessels.

Kerala Minister for Ports V N Vasavan said that this is going to give a major boost to the commercial activities in and around the port and also opening up the possibilities of connecting the inland waterways of Kerala with the Port.

"This is going to boost our cargo movement greatly and also our local economy. With the immigration counters opening, the port can have the crew change facility and that will boost our local economy and also tourism," the minister told PTI.

Divya S Iyer, Managing Director of VISL, said that once Vizhinjam becomes a preferred crew change port, it will boost the tourism, hospitality, and transport sectors.

According to her, Vizhinjam is an ideal location for crew change, with the airport in close proximity.

"The crew would also explore our local tourism circuits, bringing in more revenue for local communities. VISL has the necessary permissions, and we will soon start cargo movement by road from the port. By next year, all operations are expected to be in full swing," she told PTI.

Vizhinjam port, developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ), India's largest port developer and part of the Adani Group, under a public-private partnership, was commissioned this May.

The Vizhinjam port has already surpassed its expected container handling capacity.

The port is now expected to handle 100,000 TEUs this year, against the target of 60,000 TEUs.