Kerala breaks ground on state’s first container freight station to serve Vizhinjam Port

The government is setting up Kerala’s first dedicated Container Freight Station (CFS) to support cargo operations at the Vizhinjam International Seaport.

The public-sector project, implemented by Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Limited (KSIE) under the government’s 100-day action plan, will be established on nearly 5 acres of land at the Travancore Spinning Mills (TSM) compound in Balaramapuram, with the remaining land retained for the mill’s operations.

Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty will formally inaugurate the construction work on Wednesday, in a function presided over by M Vincent MLA. Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor will attend as chief guest.

The project involves a total investment of Rs 25 crore across four phases and is scheduled to commence full operations by February 2027.

A Container Freight Station functions as an off-dock facility where Export-Import (EXIM) cargo is consolidated, stuffed into containers, or deconsolidated for distribution. Serving as an off-site extension of an EXIM port, a CFS plays a critical role in decongesting main port terminals by allowing customs examination, cargo clearance, temporary storage, and documentation to happen away from high-density berth space.

Strategically situated just a 15-to-20-minute drive from Vizhinjam, the Balaramapuram facility will help clear quayside space and manage container traffic smoothly, according to KSIE managing director Dr K M Anil Muhammed. Josemon M D, general manager (CFS), KSIE, said customs regulations require containers to be evacuated from the port terminal to a CFS within five to six days to prevent congestion at the berths. He said the facility is targeting an initial capacity of 2,000 to 2,500 TEUs per month, compared to KSIE’s Vallarpadam unit, which handles between 1,000 and 1,500 TEUs monthly.

Initial yard and warehouse operations at Balaramapuram will kick off in four months once ground strengthening, equipment procurement, and statutory approvals are completed. The facility will also feature dedicated plug-in points for reefer containers to maintain the cold chain during the six-to-seven-day window usually required for customs processing.

Apart from Balaramapuram, preparations for second-phase allied services are under way at Kerala Automobiles Limited (KAL), where around five acres have been earmarked primarily for an empty-container yard. KSIE, which already operates the Cochin International CFS and handles air cargo operations at Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode airports, is also pursuing EU RA3 accreditation to facilitate direct exports into European Union markets.

The state government has already given in-principle approval for KSIE to establish the CFS and allied logistics facilities in association with Trivandrum Spinning Mills and KAL, with the approval issued by the industries department earlier this month. The two facilities are part of the state’s broader effort to develop port-linked logistics infrastructure using land held by public sector undertakings, as the government explores state-owned land around Vizhinjam to create warehousing, container handling and other supporting infrastructure to match the port’s expanding EXIM operations.

Specialised logistics training is also being provided through KSIE’s dedicated academy to prepare local youth for emerging jobs in supply chain management.