Weekly Exclusive Report from Trivandrum Port, Kerala - Issue #02

20th ­ January to 26th January 2025

1. Vizhinjam Conclave Commences

As Trivandrum Motherport prepares for its commissioning, the Kerala government is organising the Vizhinjam Conclave, which begins on the 28th of this month at the Trivandrum Hyatt Regency.

The event will be inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Industry professionals such as Capt. Deepak Tewari, MD, MSC Agency (India) Pvt. Ltd.; Capt. Gaetano Esposito, Network Manager, MSC Geneva; Capt. Muchele Aversa, Head of Network, MSC Geneva; Prasad K. Panicker, Executive Chairman, Navara Energy Ltd.; Shyam Kapoor, CEO, Sharaf Group; Lenny Abrao, MD, Abrao Group; Pradeep Jayaraman, CEO, Adani Vizhinjam Ports Pvt. Ltd.; and Ashwini Gupta, CEO, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone, will be among the speakers at the conclave.

The two-day conclave will conclude on the 29th.

2. Savannah Port models Indian Port connectivity

The MSC Kleven, which departed from the Savannah Port on America's east coast on 22nd November, arrived at Trivandrum Port on the 30th day (21.12.24). Savannah Port uses such journeys, which can be completed in a relatively short time frame, for their own marketing. In their competition with America's west coast ports, Savannah Port highlights their capability to deliver and receive cargo to and from India within a month.

In an era where approximately 9,000 nm can be covered in such a short time, the status of a container shipped from Chennai serves as a useful comparison. The container arrived at Chennai Port on 9th January. After completing transshipment at Colombo port, it reaches America on 21st February - that is, on the forty-fourth day of the journey! This is where Trivandrum Port offers a 30-day solution.

3. Regular feeding to Chittagong

Chittagong Port in Bangladesh has already become a regular feeder service port from Trivandrum Port. Multiple MSC vessels (Polo II, Sujin, Hansa Lanka etc.) continue sailing in the Chittagong feeder service. This is likely to increase in the coming days.

As in many other sectors, while China leads in textile exports, Bangladesh follows closely behind. In 2024, they exported textiles worth US$38.48 billion. Bangladesh achieved this feat under the World Trade Organisation's Least Developed Country benefits (Duty free and Quota free). This concession, which began in 2006, allowed Bangladesh to export to the UK and Europe without taxes. This benefit, initially granted for 20 years, was supposed to end in 2026. However, WTO extended this benefit until 2029 as an Additional Transition Period. This extension is expected to benefit Trivandrum Port as well. The port community anticipates that Bangladeshi exporters will increasingly utilise Trivandrum Port for their annual textile exports worth US$ 38 billion.

4. Is Trivandrum Port Setting a New Record?

Recent observations of ship arrivals and departures have prompted a comparison on a global scale. The time interval between one ship leaving a berth and another arriving at the same berth seems incredibly short. An attempt has been made to understand its global benchmark. In some cases, a pilot boards a ship at the berth simultaneously as another pilot boards a ship at the anchorage. In such a scenario, the time required for the next berthing is typically 1.5 hours. If the same pilot who boards a ship at the berth disembarks onto a tug at sea to board the next ship for berthing, it usually takes 2-3 hours. However, MSC ships like Mila 3, Tygra, Johannesburg, Polo II, Verona, and XPress Kaveri that arrived at Trivandrum Port on dates around Jan 18 and 19 completed these processes in an average of just 38 minutes! (Source: Marine Traffic). Some argue that it is unlikely to accomplish both tasks within 38 minutes. It's possible that in the first scenario, two tugs and two pilots worked simultaneously to complete this process. Nevertheless, the operation that typically takes 1.5 hours globally is being completed in approximately half an hour at Trivandrum Port. If any port in the world can perform unberthing and berthing in even less time, we would be interested to know.

5. Warehouse Associate Course - ASAP Community Skill Park, Vizhinjam [Deadline: 15th feb 2025] 

We are excited to inform you about the Warehouse Associate course being offered at the ASAP Community Skill Park, Vizhinjam. This course is ideal for those interested in pursuing a career in warehouse operations and logistics. Below are the details:

Key Highlights:

- Gain hands-on experience in warehouse operations.  

- Learn tasks like picking, packing, labeling, kitting, loading, and unloading.  

- Operate material handling equipment like pallet trucks.  

- Understand health, safety, and security protocols.  

- Certification aligned with industry standards.  

Eligibility Criteria:  

- Educational Qualification: Minimum Class X.  

- Minimum Age: 18 years.  

- Experience: Not mandatory; beginners welcome.  

Duration:  

- Comprehensive training of 6 months covering all essential aspects of warehouse operations.  

Modules Covered:  

1. Picking, Packing, Labeling, Kitting, and Binning.  

2. Loading and Unloading Operations.  

3. Health, Safety, and Security Procedures.  

4. Ethical Practices in Warehousing.  

5. Specialized Electives like Handling Perishable Goods or GST Application.  

Benefits of Completing the Course:  

- Industry-recognized certification.  

- Opportunity to work in warehouse and logistics sectors.  

- Build foundational knowledge and hands-on skills for career growth.  

Registration:  

For more details about the registration process  contact us directly.  

📅 Deadline: 15th February 2025

📞 Contact: +919495999697

📍 Location: Community Skill Park, Vizhinjam  

Don't miss this chance to build a rewarding career in the logistics industry!  

Team CSP Vizhinjam

Expected Vessel arrivals at Trivandrum Port - 27.02.25 to 02.02.25

• MSC Rose
• Maria Laura
• Chaewon 
• Qingdao
• Cairo IV
• Eyra II
• Fair Field
• Carmelita
• Shreya B
• XPress Kaveri