MSC Turkiye one of the largest cargo ships in the world arrives at Adani Vizhinjam Port

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : In a historic moment for Indian maritime infrastructure, ultra-large container vessel MSC Turkiye, one of the largest cargo ships in the world, anchored at Adani Vizhinjam Port on Wednesday.

The vessel, which has already dropped anchor offshore, will begin its berthing process around noon. Spanning 400 metres in length and 62 metres in width, MSC Turkiye has a staggering capacity of 24,346 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Units). This is the first time such a mega-ship has docked at a port in South Asia, marking a milestone for India’s shipping and logistics landscape.

Belonging to the top tier of container vessels ever built, MSC Turkiye surpasses the previous record set by MSC Claude Girardet, which had been the largest ship to dock at Vizhinjam until now. With over 500,000 TEUs of cargo already handled, Vizhinjam Port continues its rapid rise in prominence. Just last month, the port welcomed 53 cargo vessels. With Phase 1 nearing completion and full commissioning expected later this year, Vizhinjam is quickly closing the gap with India’s leading ports, setting new benchmarks in efficiency and global reach.

Viability Gap Funding Deal to Be Signed

In a parallel development, a key financial agreement will be signed concerning Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for the Vizhinjam project. Two major contracts are set to be formalised. The first is a tripartite agreement between the central government, Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd (the port operator), and a consortium of banks. The second agreement involves revenue-sharing terms, under which the state has agreed to share 20 percent of port revenues with the central government. Kerala Chief Secretary Sharada Muraleedharan will sign the agreements on behalf of the state.

The state cabinet had previously approved receiving Rs 817.80 crore as VGF assistance to support the development of the port infrastructure. With the arrival of MSC Turkiye and the financial agreements falling into place, Vizhinjam is poised to emerge as a global maritime hub, accelerating Kerala’s economic footprint in international trade.