{"url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-31/kottayam-port-vizhinjam-waterway-proposal","markdown_url":"https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-31/kottayam-port-vizhinjam-waterway-proposal.md","title":"Kottayam Port Proposes 180-km Waterway to Vizhinjam","headline":"Kottayam Port Proposes 180-km Inland Waterway Corridor Linking ICD to Vizhinjam Seaport","description":"Kottayam port has proposed a 180-km waterway to Vizhinjam, with a foreign investor willing to put in ₹100 crore across four instalments for a barge and infrastructure.","section":"Expansion","published_at":"2026-10-31T12:59:04+00:00","modified_at":"2026-10-31T12:59:04+00:00","author":"News Desk","key_takeaways":["Kottayam port proposed a 180-km waterway corridor linking its inland container depot to Vizhinjam seaport via National Waterways 9 and 3.","A foreign investor has expressed willingness to invest ₹100 crore in the port in four instalments, part of it for a barge to Vizhinjam.","A lock system is scheduled at the Thrikkunnapuzha bridge by December, and a secondary survey is expected to begin by January."],"companies":[{"name":"Kottayam Port And Container Terminal Services","is_primary":true,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/002uwo5/kottayam-port-and-container-terminal-services","website":"https://www.kottayamport.com"},{"name":"Kerala Maritime Board","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00puad3/kerala-maritime-board","website":"https://kmb.kerala.gov.in"},{"name":"Vizhinjam International Seaport","is_primary":false,"profile_url":"https://akta.pro/company-profiles/006dl6v/vizhinjam-international-seaport","website":"https://vizhinjamport.in"}],"source":{"publisher":"The Hindu","title":"Inland waterway proposed to link Kottayam port with Vizhinjam","url":"https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/inland-waterway-proposed-to-link-kottayam-port-with-vizhinjam/article71649155.ece"},"other_sources":[],"tags":["Expansion","Kottayam Port And Container Terminal Services","Kerala Maritime Board","Vizhinjam International Seaport"],"body_markdown":"Kottayam port has proposed a 180-km waterway corridor linking the country's first inland container depot with [Vizhinjam](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/006dl6v/vizhinjam-international-seaport) seaport, with a foreign investor expressing willingness to invest ₹100 crore in four instalments. [The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/inland-waterway-proposed-to-link-kottayam-port-with-vizhinjam/article71649155.ece) reported the proposal, which comes months before the port launches its barge service to Kochi.\n\n## How the Kottayam-Vizhinjam Route Would Work\n\nContainers would travel from [Kottayam Port And Container Terminal Services](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/002uwo5/kottayam-port-and-container-terminal-services) to Vizhinjam through National Waterways 9 and 3, entering the Arabian Sea through the Valiyazheekkal breakwaters. The port sits close to National Waterway 9 and can reach National Waterway 3, the Kollam-Kottappuram stretch, through Munroe Island and Ashtamudi Lake. Barges would then navigate the Pampa river past Ambalappuzha, Thottappally and Thrikkunnapuzha to Valiyazheekkal in Kayamkulam Lake.\n\nThe 180-km journey is expected to take 12 to 14 hours. The route has 17 bridges, with a major lock system scheduled to be installed at the Thrikkunnapuzha bridge by December so container barges can pass without difficulty. The waterway maintains a depth of around two metres along the route.\n\n\"A preliminary survey has been completed, while the secondary survey is expected to begin by January next year after consultations with the State government,\" a senior port official said. \"The project will not involve any significant expenditure for the government.\" The official said part of the investment would build a barge for transporting containers to Vizhinjam, with the rest expanding port infrastructure including a paved yard, crane, berth and reach stacker.\n\nDiscussions have been held with the Industries Minister and Inland Waterways department officials, who extended support. The State government has decided to appoint the Ports Secretary as chairman of Kottayam port and the CEO of the [Kerala Maritime Board](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00puad3/kerala-maritime-board) as a board member, and talks with Vizhinjam port authorities are expected to gather pace. Port authorities plan to discuss the proposal with Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan soon.\n\n## Kottayam Port's Barge and Warehouse Base\n\nAccording to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), Kottayam Port And Container Terminal Services operates a multi-modal inland container depot and minor port at Kottayam, founded in 2005, offering container handling, warehousing, customs clearance through a Single Window and inland waterway connectivity to Cochin Port. The same records list a 40,000 sq ft warehouse for export, import and hazardous goods storage, a 50m X 12m jetty and berth facility for barges, and barge capacity of 10 TEU for container transport. The port has already begun moving containers to Vizhinjam under a transshipment bond arrangement with the Customs Department, allowing goods to be cleared at Kottayam before transport to Vizhinjam.\n\n## Survey and Lock Timelines\n\nThe secondary survey is expected to begin by January after consultations with the State government, and the lock system at the Thrikkunnapuzha bridge is scheduled for installation by December.\n","publisher":{"name":"News for Agent","url":"https://newsforagent.com"}}