Thiruvananthapuram | In a major development, the Vizhinjam deep-sea port in Kerala has got environment clearance from the Union Environment Ministry for the next two phases of the transshipment harbour's construction.

The achievement was announced on Tuesday by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a post on the social media platform 'X'.

He said that the clearance will ensure that the port is fully completed by 2028, "way ahead of its schedule".

"A major milestone for Kerala's maritime sector as the @PortOfVizhinjam gets environmental clearance from @moefcc for the next 2 phases of development. This will ensure that the port is completed by 2028, way ahead of its schedule, unlocking new opportunities for maritime trade and industrial growth," he said on 'X'.

The deep-water port has been 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 model at an estimated cost of Rs 8,867 crore.

The port received its commercial commissioning certificate on December 4 last year following a successful trial run.

The state government has stated that the Vizhinjam port will be commissioned as soon as Prime Minister Narendra Modi finalises a date.