Tech, connectivity support needed for Vizhinjam port: CEO

Trivandrum / December 13, 2025

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec. 13: Vizhinjam International Seaport presents a goldmine for investors and enterprises in the next five years as both marine and onshore support systems are yet to come up, said Sreekumar K Nair, CEO of Vizhinjam International Seaport, during a panel discussion at Huddle Global 2025 at Kovalam on Saturday.

Speaking during a panel discussion on Ships, Shores and Supply Chains: Kerala's Big Opportunity in Maritime Innovation, Nair said the port, located at the southern tip of India in Thiruvananthapuram, has state-of-the-art facilities and has attracted cargo ships from 160 different countries in just 13 months since the start of its operations. However, he pointed out that the facility will need a strong support system both on land and at sea for Kerala to leverage its full potential.

"There is a need for a network of roads, rail lines, space for container yards, facilities to service ships and much more. The central government can help a lot in building roads and rail as the port will be the only transshipment port in the country."

He highlighted the fact that containers shipped from Vizhinjam will reach major markets like Europe and the US much faster than the existing timeframe when shipped from legacy ports like Mumbai and Chennai.

India's private sector has vast opportunities in the shipbuilding sector as the central government has earmarked 70,000 crore rupees to encourage the industry in India, said Antony Prince, President & CEO, Smart Engineering & Design Solutions.

"Shipping is an evolving industry, though it is a legacy industry. There are constant updates being made in areas like emissions, shipping data and navigation." Prince said private firms and startups can work to bring solutions that will make operations efficient in every aspect of shipping.

Praful Poddar, Chief Product Officer, Shiprocket, said he was impressed by the kind of energy that young entrepreneurs were bringing to the summit organised by the Kerala Startup Mission. He said the entrepreneurial enthusiasm at the event, billed as the India’s premier beachside startup festival, was equal to what he had seen at similar events held in Mumbai and Delhi.

Akhil Saxena, Board Advisor, supply chain consultant, and former VP – Amazon Pivut, moderated the panel discussion.

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