Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Ports Minister V N Vasavan on Friday said that nearly 400 container ships had docked at the Vizhinjam transshipment hub in the past year since the first vessel arrived at the port.

Vasavan, in a Facebook post on the occasion of the first anniversary of the first ship to berth at the port, claimed that Vizhinjam has also managed to become the number one port on the south-east coast of India after commencing commercial operations in December last year.

The port was dedicated to the nation on May 2 this year by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The minister said that since the arrival of the San Fernando ship at the port on July 11, 2024, 392 ships, including 23 ultra-large vessels, have arrived at the transshipment hub and 8.3 lakh containers were handled.

He claimed that the port was able to work at full capacity right from the start of its commercial operations, a rarity in the world.

It also helped to show the world that India has the ability to operate a port using advanced technologies, including automation and AI, Vasavan said in his post.

The other achievements of the port include training women from the local Vizhinjam community to become India's first female automated crane operators and supporting more than one lakh people through social responsibility projects in areas including health, education and skill development, he said.

"Along with celebrating the first year with pride, the second phase of construction, which is expected to cost over Rs 10,000 crore, will also begin soon. Vizhinjam will grow as the gateway to India's maritime supremacy," he said in the post.

The port has been developed by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) under a public-private partnership model at an estimated cost of Rs 8,867 crore.