Thiruvananthapuram: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has requested permission from the Adani Group to use a 120 metre berth at the new international seaport in Vizhinjam to dock large vessels. The move is aimed at enhancing surveillance of the southern peninsula and improving response times for rescue missions, particularly in light of the increasing number of fishing accidents at sea. However, the Adani Group has not yet responded positively to the request.
The ICG sought permission to use the port for a year, until the construction of a new ICG berth at Vizhinjam old port is completed. Currently, a fast patrol vessel (FPV) and three IB/IC class ships are operating from a berth provided by the Kerala Maritime Board at the Vizhinjam old port to handle emergency situations. This berth, however, cannot accommodate larger vessels, prompting the ICG to request additional space from Adani.
“Although Adani initially denied the request, they suggested it could be considered in the port’s second or third phase. By then, the construction of the new berth at the old port is expected to be completed, and the ICG may no longer need to use the Adani port,” said an ICG source. The proposal to build a new berth for the ICG at the old port in Vizhinjam had been delayed for a long time.
The delay was caused by the abandoned tugboat MV Brahmekshara, which had been berthed at Vizhinjam wharf since Dec 2015 and sank in 2018. A Cochin-based firm eventually removed the tugboat from the sea, and the state govt auctioned it off in Oct 2022. Following the removal of the tugboat, the harbour engineering department has begun constructing a 120 metre berth to accommodate large vessels at a cost of Rs 10.
5 crore. This construction is expected to be completed by March 2025. “With the upcoming international transshipment terminal at Vizhinjam, enhancing the functional capacities of this strategically important port area is increasingly significant.
Once the new berth is operational, the ICG and Indian Navy’s capabilities in the southern peninsula, including the southern tip of Kerala and northern Tamil Nadu, will be greatly enhanced,” added the source. The foundation stone for the new berth was laid by Rajendra Singh, the then director general of the ICG, during his first visit to Thiruvananthapuram in 2013. The tugboat was stuck in the port because of a legal dispute.
The company that owned the tugboat abandoned it during a financial crisis and was required to pay significant port charges to the state govt, which were eventually recovered through the auction of the ship..
