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Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Limited (APSEZ) and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) Group's terminal arm, Terminal Investment Limited (TiL), have entered into a definitive agreement under which TiL will acquire a 49 per cent stake in Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL), the concessionaire of Vizhinjam port.
Under the agreement, TiL will invest USD 1.397 billion, equivalent to its proportionate 49 per cent share of the port's enterprise value of USD 2.85 billion. The transaction is subject to customary approvals, including regulatory clearances. The companies said the partnership marks the single largest foreign private investment in Indian port infrastructure and further strengthens Vizhinjam port's position as a major transhipment gateway in the Indian Ocean region. The company stated that the collaboration is expected to provide APSEZ with enhanced volume visibility and support faster ramp-up of operations at the port through additional cargo volumes. The partnership is also expected to increase Bangladesh-linked cargo volumes, strengthen the port's presence on East Africa trade routes and boost relay cargo traffic. Ashwani Gupta, Whole-time Director and CEO, APSEZ, said "Vizhinjam port has emerged as a premier transhipment hub and ramped up at an unprecedented pace, becoming the first Indian port to earn the unique distinction of crossing 2 million TEUs within 18 months of operations." He further added, "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,". This is the third major collaboration between APSEZ and MSC Group after their earlier partnerships at Mundra's Container Terminal No. 3 and Ennore Port. TiL is one of the world's largest container terminal operators and is part of the MSC Group. It operates a portfolio of more than 100 container terminals across five continents and handles more than 70 million TEUs annually. Adani Port stated that, commissioned in December 2024, Vizhinjam is India's first deep-draft mega transhipment port. The port currently has a capacity of 1.6 million TEUs and is undergoing expansion that will increase capacity 3.5 times to 5.7 million TEUs by December 2028 Strategically located around 10 nautical miles from the East-West shipping route connecting Europe, the Persian Gulf and the Far East, the port has a natural draft of 18-20 metres, a 2.9-kilometre breakwater and an 800-metre berth. The facility is equipped with advanced infrastructure, including eight quay cranes and 24 fully automated yard cranes. As India's first automated port, Vizhinjam uses advanced container handling systems, a world-class IT platform and an AI-enabled indigenous Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS). The port handled 1.3 million TEUs during FY26 and became the fastest Indian port to cross the 1 million TEU milestone. Within 18 months of operations, it surpassed 2 million TEUs and handled more than 950 vessels, setting another national record. In June 2026, Vizhinjam welcomed its 1,000th vessel. The port has handled more than 70 Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs), the highest among Indian ports, along with 283 vessels exceeding 300 metres in length and 98 vessels requiring drafts greater than 16 metres. The agreement further deepens the long-term partnership between APSEZ and MSC Group while supporting the expansion and growth of Vizhinjam as a key global transhipment hub. (ANI)
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