Vizhinjam Port achieves milestone of handling 100,000 containers in four months

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The Vizhinjam International Port has achieved a new milestone of handling 100,000 containers and 46 ships during the trial period in the last four months.

Minister of Ports Shri V N Vasavan commended the achievement stating that “Vizhinjam Port is breaking records, handling 100,000+ TEUs (20-foot containers) and welcoming 46 ships in just four months! Kerala’s ‘golden coast’ is here, setting a new standard in global trade.” The port, which receives a ship almost every two days, will be formally commissioned next month.

It’s been four months since the port, operated by Adani Ports, received its first mothership, MV San Fernando, as part of commencing trials. The ship arrived from China with around 2,000 containers. Soon, the port saw vessels docking nearly every two days for a month.

The port, scheduled to be commissioned formally next month, also received the large container ship MSC Claude Girardet, which is 400m long with a 16.7m draft. It has a capacity to hold 24,000 containers. Recently, the port handled another mothership, the most recent one, the 400m long MSC Viviana, on Nov 1.

An official said that the ships were handled with ease, and different aspects of handling ships were monitored and perfected every time a ship docked. There are two berths at the port, and more berths will be added in the subsequent phases of construction.