The growth of Kerala's ports is "remarkable", whether they be Kollam, Beypore or the Azheekal port, Sarbananda Sonowal, the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoPSW) of India, said today.
“They all have immense potential for growth. Together, these facilities are making Kerala a true maritime gateway of India,” the Union Minister said, hailing the state’s commitment to the maritime sector, as he gave the keynote address at the finale of THE WEEK Maritime Conclave 2025 in Kochi on Tuesday.
“Under the Flagship initiative of Sagarmala, 54 projects worth around Rs 24,000 crores have been taken up for implementation in the state of Kerala, of which 20 projects worth more than Rs 5,300 crores have been completed and 34 projects worth around Rs 18,600 crores are under implementation,” Sonowal revealed.
These included the fishing harbour projects in Kannur and Thrissur, as well as the modernisation of the fishing harbour in Kochi, which benefits thousands of fisherfolk from Kerala.
The minister underscored how the Centre wished to make India a global maritime superpower by 2047, along with realising the vision of making India—a Viksit Bharat; an Atmanirbhar Bharat—a $30 trillion economy.
Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram, India’s first fully automated transhipment port, successfully handled more than 10.63 lakh TEUs and berthed more than 483 ships since it became operational last July, noted Sonowal.
“This is a shining example of the huge potential which Kerala possesses,” the minister announced. “Kerala has given India some of its finest seafarers, shipbuilders, and maritime professionals.”
Sonowal was the chief guest and the keynote speaker for the concluding day of THE WEEK Maritime Conclave 2025 at Crowne Plaza, Kochi. At the close of his keynote address, the minister headed to the audience where he greeted the students in the maritime and shipping domains, and hailed them as the “future of the nation” and the true beneficiaries of the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047.
Sonowal was joined by Riyad Mathew, the Chief Associate Editor and Director, THE WEEK, The Malayala Manorama Group, when he launched the ‘Maritime, Ahoy!’ microsite, along with Divya Iyer IAS, MD of the Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd, and Madhu Nair, Chairman and Managing Director of Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL).
