The strategic collaboration represents the single largest foreign private investment in Indian port infrastructure and cements Vizhinjam’s emergence as a dominant transshipment gateway in the Indian Ocean region, the company said in a statement.
“Vizhinjam port has emerged as a premier transshipment hub and ramped up at an unprecedented pace, becoming the first Indian port to earn the unique distinction of crossing 2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) within 18 months of operations,” said Mr. Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO, APSEZ.
“I am delighted to expand APSEZ’s long-standing partnership with MSC to Vizhinjam, as we prepare for the port’s next leg of journey. I am confident that our association will deliver enhanced supply chain efficiencies at a global scale and improve India’s access to key global mature and developing markets,” he said.
TiL is one of the world’s largest container terminal operators and part of the MSC Group comprising a portfolio of more than 100 container terminals across five continents and a throughput of more than 70 million TEUs per annum.
Commissioned in December 2024, Vizhinjam port is India’s first deep-draft mega transshipment port with 1.6 million TEU capacity.
The port is undergoing expansion that will increase capacity 3.5x to 5.7 million TEUs by December 2028.
The strategic collaboration between APSEZ and MSC Group will deliver significant advantages, the company said.
For APSEZ, the collaboration will enhance volume visibility and accelerated ramp-up ahead of plan, driven by additional cargo volumes.
It will also help in higher share of Bangladesh cargo, largely dependent on competing Southeast Asian transshipment hubs and Strengthening presence on East Africa trade routes and also offer elevated relay cargo volumes.
In its first year, Vizhinjam port handled 1.3 million TEUs and 615 vessels, becoming the fastest Indian port to cross the 1 million TEU milestone. Within 18 months, it surpassed 2 million TEUs and 950 vessels.
This marks the 3 rd major collaboration between APSEZ and MSC following successful joint ventures at ports in Mundra (Container Terminal No. 3) and Ennore.