Vizhinjam Port

Vizhinjam is a small coastal Town in Thiruvananthapuram District of Kerala state, South India. There is a large sea port in Vizhinjam. Kovalam beach is just 3 km from Vizhinjam. The areas in and around Vizhinjam are known for its Ayurvedic treatment centres and internationally acclaimed beach resorts. As of 2001, the population was 18,566.
Vizhinjam is on the outskirts of Trivandrum, 16 km away from the city centre and 1 km away from the city Limits, but located within the Trivandrum Metropolitan city area. Vizhinjam is a natural port, which is located close to the international ship route. So it is expected that at least 50% of the nearly 20,000 ships that pass through the Suez canal (per annum) will anchor at Trivandrum. It is expected that with the functioning of Vizhinjam port in its full swing, the ports of Colombo, Singapore and Dubai might face serious competitor from India. This will boost the trade and commercial activities not only in Kerala but also to entire India. It is estimated that the cargo movements to southern, northern and western regions may find it more cost-effective to use Vizhinjam as a gateway/trans-shipment terminal instead of ports in Colombo, Singapore, Salalah, etc.
The port is supposed to be 150 metres in width. About 2.5 to 2.75 km² (600 to 700 acres (2.8 km2)) would be made available through reclamation of the sea. The port would have two breakwaters of 1.5 km and 6 km with harbour basin and wharfs. There would be about 30 berths, most of which would be capable of handling Mother Vessels. There was high potential for a new port as India needs additional capacity in the coming years. Thus Vizhinjam port has very high importance from this point of view.
Advantages of Vizhinjam port
Vizhinjam port is located 16 km south of Kerala’s capital, Thiruvananthapuram on the West coast of India.
The site offers the following unique advantages:
*Proximity to international shipping route and East-West shipping axis
*Availability of 20 m contour within a nautical mile off the coast. Minimal littoral drift along the coast and therefore hardly any maintenance dredging
*Immediacy to national/regional road, rail network
*Flexibility in design and expansion being Greenfield project close to Thiruvananthapuram city that has an International airport, human resource and social infrastructure
*Proximity to another international port (Cochin)that would make a twin international harbours (first in the world).
*The commercial, Technological and Political importance of Trivandrum, the fastest growing IT hub in India.
*Accessibility to Trivandrum International Airport that holds the largest cargo unit in the South.
*The moderate climate of Trivandrum suitable for Western operators.
*The tourist climate and accessibility to international beaches like Kovalam and Shangumugham.
*The growth prospect of the Trivandrum which is potentially considered the next Metro.
*Availability of Educated, English speaking public in and around the City.
*The Trivandrum Metropolitan Area which is the largest, oldest and most populous in the state.
Wave Energy
Vizhinjam fishing harbour is the site of a unique demonstrations plant that converts sea wave energy to elecricity and is given to the local grid.This plant is based on the oscillating water column (OWC) principle. A caisson was constructed in December 1990 at Vizhinjam and two generations of power modules have been tested as of today. The plant was first commissioned in October 1991. The physical processes in the energy conversion are understood to a much greater extent, leading to a threefold increase in absolute power from the plant.

At present, more than 80% cost of the wave energy plant is due to civil construction (concrete caissons). Considerable cost savings can be obtained using the concept of multi-functional breakwaters wherein a power module forms an incremental addition to a caisson breakwater. It is proposed to demonstrate the utility of this concept with the design and construction of a breakwater with a number of power modules.
History
The history of Vizhinjam dates back to The Ay Dynasty. Before the Cheras established themselves as a major force in Kerala, it was ruled by the Ay dynasty sometime between 7th to 11th century AD with Vizhinjam as the capital. The Ay kingdom extended between Nagercoil and Thiruvalla. During the second Sangham age (circa 850–1400 AD),the region was the scene of many battles between the Kulashekaras and the Cholas and Vizhinjam, the capital, was sacked by the Cholas.
When the kings of the Ay dynasty shifted their capital to Vizhinjam, they built a fort which is now considered to be the oldest fort in Kerala dating to the eighth or ninth century. A preliminary investigation by a team under Dr. Ajit has revealed the fort might have originally been 800 m² in area. The fort's wall can be found on the northern and western (seaside) parts and has been constructed using large boulders set in mud mortar. The wide base of the wall tapers on its way up. Even now this part of Vizhinjam is known as Kottapuram, 'Kotta' in Tamil and Malayalam means Fort. According to Dr. Ajit, one important clue in dating the fort is that the walls have no battlements or `loop holes' (holes to place cannons in). This is typical of early forts, he says.
The team was also able to trace literary and epigraphical references - of 9 AD to 12 AD vintage - to a fort and port at Vizhinjam. Sangam literature such as `Pandikkovai', `Iraiyanar Ahapporul Urai', `Kalingattup-parani', of Jayamkondar, and `Vikrama-solan-ula' are said to have numerous references to the existence of a fort, port and a mansion at Vizhinjam.

Moreover, the Srivaramangalam copper plate's of Pandyan King Nedum Chadayan ( 8 AD) have clear reference to Vizhinjam and its fort. "Here, the fort is described as surrounded by waters of three seas, protected by a wide moat, high walls which the sun's rays do not touch and so on. Leaving aside the hyperbole typical of such inscriptions, the ground evidence at Vizhinjam that fits this description of the old fort. In fact the port at Vizhinjam has been mentioned in the work `The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea', a work of the first century AD. Here Vizhinjam has been called as Balita," said Dr. Ajit.

The Portuguese and the Dutch had commercial establishments here. The Portuguese have built a church in Vizhinjam near to the sea shore, which is still functional and is referred as the Old Vizhinjam Church (Old St. Mary's Church). It is located in the vizhinjam fishing harbour area.
Nearby cities: Neyyattinkara , Seynamvilai, Nagercoil
Coordinates: 8°22'55"N 76°59'26"E