Kerala to Develop Kollam Port as Satellite Facility for Vizhinjam

Kerala's government finalized plans on September 21 to develop Kollam Port as a satellite facility for the Vizhinjam International Seaport, about 70 kilometers to the south.

The port will be built under a public-private partnership. Total project cost is Rs 15.15 crore, with Rs 7.24 crore already sanctioned by the central government for a multi-purpose berth and wharf. The work falls under Kerala's Rs 400 crore Mission Samudra programme, which draws partly from the national Sagarmala scheme.

Labour Minister Bindu Krishna said the port has gone largely unattended for a decade. No dredging has been done. A fresh survey will assess current depth before construction begins; at least eight meters of clearance is needed for vessels to berth. Plans include a 101-meter wharf, a floating dry dock under consideration, and tourist cruise services.

Kollam sits between Kochi and Vizhinjam. The plan is to share cargo load with the larger hub, reducing congestion at Vizhinjam. Similar public-private models are being explored for other non-major Kerala ports including Beypore and Azheekal.