The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has reportedly requested permission from the Adani Group to use a 120-metre berth at the new international seaport in Vizhinjam for docking large vessels. This request is part of an effort to enhance surveillance of the southern peninsula and improve response times for rescue missions, particularly in light of the rising number of fishing accidents at sea.
The ICG sought permission to use the port for a year, until the construction of a new ICG berth at the old Vizhinjam port is completed. Currently, a fast patrol vessel (FPV) and three IB/IC class ships are operating from a berth provided by the Kerala Maritime Board at the old Vizhinjam port to handle emergency situations. However, this berth is unable to accommodate larger vessels, prompting the ICG to request additional space from Adani.
According to an ICG source, although Adani initially denied the request, they suggested that it could be reconsidered during the port's second or third phase. By that time, the construction of the new berth at the old port is expected to be completed, and the ICG may no longer need to use the Adani port.
The proposal to build a new berth for the ICG at the old port in Vizhinjam had faced delays for a considerable period. The delay was attributed to the abandoned tugboat MV Brahmekshara, which had been berthed at Vizhinjam wharf since December 2015 and sank in 2018. A Cochin-based firm eventually removed the tugboat from the sea, and the state government auctioned it off in October 2022.
Following the removal of the tugboat, the harbour engineering department began constructing a 120-metre berth to accommodate large vessels, at a cost of Rs 105 million. This construction is expected to be completed by March 2025.
An ICG source noted that with the upcoming international transshipment terminal at Vizhinjam, enhancing the functional capacities of this strategically important port area is increasingly significant. Once the new berth is operational, the ICG and Indian Navy's capabilities in the southern peninsula, including the southern tip of Kerala and northern Tamil Nadu, will be greatly enhanced.