Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala Port Minister V N Vasavan on Tuesday said the gateway container operations in the Vizhinjam International Port here would begin within the next four months.

The arrangements to set up container scanners are progressing at the port in this connection, he told the state Assembly.

During the Question Hour session, V Joy (CPI-M) said at present only transhipment operations are being carried out at the port and sought to know when the gateway container operations would begin there.

"The gateway container operations, taking cargo to and from the port, will begin within four months. The arrangements of the Customs Department and steps to install container scanners are progressing there in a way to make the operations begin within four months," the minister said.

Vasavan said as many as 215 ships have so far arrived at Vizhinjam Port, which has handled 4,22,846 TEU.

Handling 78,833 TEUs from 40 vessels, Vizhinjam Port has become the top port in the country in February this year, he added.

Last week, the deep-sea port got environmental clearance from the Union Environment Ministry for the next two phases of the transshipment harbour's construction.

Announcing the achivement, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said the clearance would ensure that the port is fully completed by 2028.

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.