Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) plans to acquire a 49 percent stake in Vizhinjam International Seaport for US$1.4 billion, marking the largest foreign private investment in India’s port sector. Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone (APSEZ) will retain the remaining 51 percent stake.
The Kerala State Government stated on Thursday that any change in concession ownership requires government approval. Officials confirmed the deal will be reviewed “strictly under the provisions of the concession agreement and anticipated regulations.”
Commissioned in December 2024, Vizhinjam has rapidly become a key transshipment hub in the Indian Ocean, located 10 nautical miles from the main East–West shipping route. In its first year, the port handled 1.3 million TEUs and 615 vessels, making it the fastest in India to exceed one million TEUs.
India’s first fully automated deep-draft transshipment port is expected to expand its capacity from 1.6 million TEUs to 5.7 million TEUs by the end of 2028.
