Vizhinjam port sets new record with 16.95m draft vessel

Vizhinjam International Port has achieved a new milestone by handling MSC Virginia, a container vessel with a draft of 16.95 metres—the deepest ever at the port and the second-largest ship to call at any Indian port.

The vessel, which earlier arrived from Mundra with a 16-metre draft, departed for Spain after loading around 5,000 TEUs of cargo, raising its draft to 16.95 metres. The achievement, coinciding with the Onam festival, was hailed as a symbolic gift to Kerala.

This surpasses Vizhinjam’s previous record of handling a 16.8-metre draft vessel. To date, the port has successfully managed 17 vessels with drafts over 16.5 metres, reaffirming its ability to accommodate some of the world’s largest container ships.

With a natural draft depth of 18–20 metres, Vizhinjam is uniquely positioned as one of India’s premier deep-water transshipment hubs, strengthening its stature in the global maritime sector.