By Sahil Pandey
Vizhinjam (Kerala) [India], May 2 : Karan Adani, the Managing Director of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, revealed that the company aims to make Vizhinjam Port one of the most efficient ports globally.
"I think we have to complete phase two by 2028, so we want to take this up to 5 million TEU of capacity. Currently we are at 1.2 and the target is, we have to make this one of the most efficient port, not just in the country, but globally, and help the Indian importers and exporters reduce their logistics costs. Our target is that with our network of ports, we should target at least a 25 to 30 per cent reduction in the logistics cost for any container or any cargo which is moving through our ports," Adani told ANI.
Sharing his views after Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated Vizhinjam Port to the nation, Karan Adani described it as a proud moment for the group.
"It's a proud moment for the group, and we are proud that we built a world-class asset that will help the country and that the country can be proud of. And most importantly, it was one of the most challenging projects of the group, and it's good to see it coming to life and coming to operation," he added.
Adani discussed the challenges faced during the construction of the port. They faced two cyclones and strikes.
"We had 7 million tons of rocks to bring in, which was a big challenge. There were so many challenges, but I must appreciate that the team has been extremely dedicated and strong. And most importantly, I must thank the Government of Kerala, as well as the people of Trivandrum, for supporting the project, even during the toughest times," he said.
The Managing Director of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. stated that the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) is a critical project for the country because it provides an alternate route outside of the Suez Canal.
"As a country, if we have to be self-reliant in manufacturing and in the supply chain, I think IMEC plays a very important role, and that is where, on the Indian side, our ports on the western coast and the exit, which is Haifa, that's where we would like to connect, and to see how we can help the end consumers and the Indian exporters and importers improve their cost," the Managing Director of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd said.
On women's employment at Vizhinjam Port, he said, "If you see almost 50 per cent of our operators are women and we have a challenge in hand that we are still not satisfied with it and the target is in six months, how do we bring it to 100 per cent."
The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation on Friday the Vizhinjam International Deepwater Multipurpose Seaport, the country's first dedicated container transhipment port.