A couple of years ago, Maria Abraham was out on the water in small fishing boats, but now he’s helping to moor massive container ships at Vizhinjam International Seaport almost every day. He’s one of around 280 locals from the fishing community working at the Adani Ports-run facility, which is set to officially open in December. These individuals are leveraging their sea experience and the training they've received to handle everything from piloting ships to operating machinery. Recently, their skills really shone during a tough ocean swell, where they managed to secure and shift ships with impressive efficiency. State ports minister VN Vasavan pointed out that over half of the port’s 511 workers come from the local area, fulfilling a key requirement of the agreement with Adani Ports. Abraham, who underwent a month-long training program in Kochi, finds the work manageable and rewarding, as he collaborates with a team of 15 to tie mooring ropes to the dock. In just a month during the port's trial period, they successfully moored 29 ships, highlighting their vital role in operations. Adani Port officials shared that both men and women from the local community are involved in various roles, including administration and security. There’s also a local shipping company that’s bringing container ships to the port. Manoj Nair, managing director of Waterline Shipping and Logistics Pvt Ltd, mentioned how they've successfully moored all incoming ships and are now reaching out to international companies to encourage them to use Vizhinjam. A recent success story involved the feeder ship Asterios from Singapore, which loaded 790 containers before heading to Oman. To further boost local employment, the state government’s additional skilling acquisition program is planning to introduce more port-related courses, building on the successful training of truck operators and laskars. The next batch of students will be welcomed soon, according to Vasavan.