Third time’s a charm for Vizhinjam

However, bidding for the port tender has been cancelled twice before, after security concerns halted a Chinese consortium’s progress in the first, and contests against winner Lanco upset the second.

Companies vying for the tender include Essar Shipping, Mundra Port, APM Terminals and the Port of Barcelona. The shortlist will be revealed in January, while operations are expected to start by the end of 2014.

Container volumes at Vizhinjam Port are expected to reach 822,000 teu by the end of Phase 1 in 2020; 1.76m teu by the end of Phase 2 in 2030; and 2.82m teu by the end of Phase 3 in 2044.