Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has outlined a plan to link the state’s ports into an integrated maritime logistics network, with the government aiming to shift a significant share of cargo movement from roads to the sea and reduce traffic congestion.
Speaking in an interview reported by PTI, Satheesan said the new UDF government was working towards a model in which Kerala would function as “one single port city”. The plan covers port development, maritime logistics, tourism, aviation, agricultural exports, the blue economy and mineral-based activities.
The state is using Kerala’s 600-km coastline as the basis for the proposed network. Satheesan said work had begun to connect the state’s ports with the assistance of maritime and shipping experts. The government intends to develop ports beyond Vizhinjam and use coastal shipping to move more cargo.
“In logistics, for example, we have to reduce the density of vehicles on the roads to shift logistics to the sea, 50 per cent,” Satheesan said, without providing a detailed timeline for achieving the target.
Vizhinjam International Seaport is expected to be a central part of the network. Satheesan said the port had begun export-import activities and was positioned around 10 nautical miles from the international shipping route, creating opportunities to connect it with other ports. The government also plans to promote cruise tourism, link Kerala’s 44 rivers and expand the export and value addition of agricultural products and spices.
The state budget has announced a Southern Economic Corridor built around different regional strengths. Port-based activities are planned for Thiruvananthapuram, a mineral corridor for Kollam and blue economy activities for Alappuzha.
The proposal comes alongside a broader plan to turn Kerala into an aviation hub. The state has four international airports located relatively close to one another, and the government is considering an international convention centre in Kochi, a maintenance, repair and overhaul facility, a pilot training institute in Kannur, helicopter training facilities and cargo and logistics services.
Satheesan also said Kerala’s development plans would have to address constraints created by high population density and restrictions applying to forest land, paddy fields and coastal zones. He said the state’s population density made it difficult to establish new industries and other projects.
The chief minister separately said the state was examining a proposed transfer of shares in Vizhinjam International Seaport to Mediterranean Shipping Company. An empowered committee headed by the Chief Secretary is reviewing the proposal, while the state is awaiting strategic clearance from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
Under the concession agreement, the transfer requires approval from the state government, which owns the port, as well as the Union government’s strategic clearance. Satheesan said the state’s priorities were to protect its interests, prevent a monopoly and ensure access to common services. He added that the concession agreement already contained safeguards against monopolistic practices and provisions protecting common facilities.
The government has not yet announced a detailed implementation schedule for the proposed port connections, the road-to-sea cargo target or the wider corridor. The Chief Secretary-led committee’s report and the Centre’s decision on strategic clearance are the next stated steps in the Vizhinjam share-transfer process.
