Thiruvananthapuram | Describing the commissioning of Vizhinjam International Seaport as a proud moment for Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday said it was not just the opening of a port, but the gate to development prospects of the third millennium.

“This is a dream come true for Kerala. The port opens a link for India to the global maritime, trade and logistics map,” Vijayan said in his presidential address at the commissioning ceremony.

He claimed that the determination of the LDF government had revived the project from oblivion and turned it into an international seaport.

Citing the port's salient features, Vijayan said it is for the first time a state government is in the forefront of a port construction. Kerala government is spending Rs 5,370.86 crore out of the total project cost of Rs 8,686 crore, he said.

The Adani Group is spending Rs 2,497 crore of the project cost, while the Centre will be providing the Viability Gap Fund (VGF) of Rs 818 crore, the CM said.

With the commissioning of the port, the country can gradually reduce the annual loss of 220 million USD incurred while diverting transhipment cargo to foreign ports, he said.