Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 9: In a landmark event for India’s maritime industry, Vizhinjam International Seaport, developed and operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, Wednesday received MSC Turkiye, one of the world’s largest and most sustainable container vessels.

This is the ship’s first call at any Indian port. Spanning 399.9 metres in length, 61.3 metres in width, and 33.5 metres in depth, MSC Turkiye boasts a massive capacity of 24,346 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), making it the largest container ship to berth at an Indian port to date.

Operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) and registered under the Liberian flag, the vessel represents cutting-edge innovation in fuel-efficient, environmentally responsible marine engineering.

This milestone reinforces Vizhinjam’s growing status as a premier global transshipment hub, strategically situated just 10 nautical miles (19 km) from the key east-west international shipping route.

The port’s natural draft of 20 metres allows it to accommodate ultra-large container vessels (ULCVs) without extensive dredging.

The historic docking follows a record-setting call by MSC Claude Girardet in September 2024, which held the previous benchmark with its 24,116 TEU capacity. MSC Turkiye now eclipses that record.

Vizhinjam is India’s first Mega Transshipment Container Terminal, equipped with advanced automation, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and rapid vessel turnaround capabilities.

Phase 1 currently supports 1 million TEUs, with expansion plans targeting 5.5 million TEUs by 2028.

APSEZ holds a 40-year concession with the Kerala government to develop and operate the port. Once fully operational, Vizhinjam is expected to handle nearly half of India’s container transshipment needs, reducing reliance on international ports like Colombo, Singapore, and Dubai.

The arrival of MSC Turkiye affirms APSEZ’s commitment to transforming Vizhinjam into a globally competitive maritime hub, enhancing India’s logistics capabilities and trade influence on the world stage.

In February, the Adani Group announced to invest Rs 30,000 crore in Kerala in the next five years, including in the Vizhinjam port, in increasing the capacity of the Thiruvananthapuram Airport, and setting up a logistics hub, among other projects.

(IANS)

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