Kerala clears five-acre Veli site for CWC warehousing as Vizhinjam handles first imports

The Kerala government has cleared the Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) to begin warehouse operations on land belonging to Travancore Titanium Products Limited (TTPL) at Veli in Thiruvananthapuram. The approval, reported on 4 November, gives CWC an initial site to serve the district as Vizhinjam International Seaport begins handling cargo for local importers and exporters. State officials had identified five acres of TTPL land for lease to the corporation.

The Veli site addresses an immediate constraint for the port’s customers. In an October reply to the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Chief Minister V D Satheesan said limited warehouse space around Vizhinjam and high land prices had contributed to higher storage rents in Thiruvananthapuram district. The state had identified about 930 acres for logistics infrastructure, with acquisition proceedings under way for around 230 acres.

Where does Veli fit into CWC’s logistics plans?

While CWC prepares to use TTPL’s land at Veli, Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (VISL) has been examining a separate site for the corporation’s proposed multimodal logistics park. In October, VISL identified a 20-acre parcel near Amaravila, south of Udiyankulangara, after residents raised concerns about displacement at an earlier location. Proximity to the railway line and a lower population density made the alternative site a candidate for the park.

Rail access matters for the larger facility, which is intended to combine storage with the handling and onward movement of port cargo. Kerala gave the park in-principle approval in February 2026 and authorised VISL to negotiate a long-term lease. Under the proposed arrangement, VISL would acquire and lease the land, while CWC would develop the infrastructure and secure the necessary approvals.

Why does Vizhinjam need inland storage?

Vizhinjam’s early gateway shipments show how its role is changing. Transhipment containers move from one vessel to another at the port. Cargo consigned to a Kerala buyer follows a different route: it comes ashore, clears customs and leaves the terminal by road for storage or delivery. With direct imports, more of that work can take place in southern Kerala.

On 31 October, MSC Sabrina III brought Vizhinjam its first import container. The consignment of engineered building boards originated in Ningbo, China, and was booked by Thiruvananthapuram-based BSG Logistics and Ship Chandlers for the city’s Altair Group. On the export side, MSC Beryl had earlier carried eight containers from Vizhinjam bound for Valencia, Spain. Two originated in Thiruvananthapuram and six arrived by road from Kochi.

What other cargo facilities are planned?

A separate ₹25 crore container freight station is being developed by Kerala State Industrial Enterprises Limited at the Travancore Spinning Mills compound in Balaramapuram. The project covers nearly five acres and is intended to support both full-container shipments and smaller consignments from different shippers moving in a shared container.

For exporters with too little cargo to fill a container, that consolidation service would offer a way to use sailings from Vizhinjam. The Veli approval addresses a different requirement in the same supply chain by making land available to CWC for warehousing, while the proposed Amaravila park would add access to rail.