From Maersk to MSC : Vizhinjam Port’s double delight with mother ship arrivals

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Vizhinjam, the country’s deepest transshipment hub, is set to welcome two back-to-back mother ships in July. First to arrive is the mothership San Fernando, anchoring on the 10th. San Fernando, a vessel of the world’s second-largest shipping company Maersk, is 300 meters long and 48 meters wide.

Following the arrival of Maersk’s San Fernando, Vizhinjam Port will welcome a mothership from the world’s largest shipping company, MSC. This ship will be even larger, exceeding 400 meters in length, and will arrive with more than 2,000 containers.

Additionally, two feeder ships, Marin Azur and Seaspan Santos, will arrive to take the cargo delivered by San Fernando. One of these feeder ships is expected to reach Vizhinjam on the 13th. Over the next two months, ships from world-class companies will be visiting Vizhinjam.

Cargo bound for other countries can also be unloaded at Vizhinjam, contributing to its growth as a global transshipment hub. Located just 10 nautical miles from international shipping lanes connecting Europe, the Gulf, and East Asian countries, Vizhinjam is strategically positioned for global trade.

In the first phase, 10 lakh containers will be brought to Vizhinjam, with the capacity expanding to 30 lakh containers when fully equipped. Ships will be controlled by a port navigation center running on software developed by IIT Madras, modeled after air traffic control to ensure safe anchorage and port operations.