Kottayam: As cargo movement through Vizhinjam gathers pace, Kottayam Port, India’s first multimodal inland container depot (ICD), is emerging as a key hub for streamlining shipments.

In its first such operation involving export cargo from another state, Kottayam Port cleared a consignment of diaries from Sivakasi in Tamil Nadu bound for Barcelona, Spain. Dispatched at 2 a.m., the container reached Vizhinjam by 6 a.m. the same day. The Maharashtra-based exporting company said routing the consignment through Kottayam had saved it nearly a month.

Port authorities said they had been receiving enquiries from other states about using Kottayam Port to route shipments through Vizhinjam. The increased demand is expected to create more employment opportunities at the port. The arrival of just two containers the other day, for instance, provided eight hours of work for around 15 people, they said.

The opening of the export-import (EXIM) cargo gate at Vizhinjam International Seaport by the Chief Minister in August has further expanded opportunities for Kottayam Port to handle cargo linked to the transshipment terminal. Meanwhile, the port's role is set to expand further following the signing of a transshipment bond between Kottayam Port and the Customs Department last month under an agreement worth ₹100 crore. The arrangement will allow goods to be cleared at Kottayam before being moved to Vizhinjam.

Without this facility, cargo may have to be transported from Vizhinjam to other ports for clearance, a process that can take several weeks and add to logistics costs. The new arrangement could help businesses save both time and money.