Thiruvananthapuram, June 9 (IANS) Terming it a historic moment, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday hailed the arrival of the world’s largest container ship, MSC IRINA, at the Adani Group’s Vizhinjam International Seaport.

In a post on social media platform X, Vijayan said this development underscores the port’s strategic global role and galvanises “our collective dream of growth”.

“Kerala welcomes MSC IRINA, the largest container ship to call at any South Asian port, with immense pride. Measuring 399.9m in length and 61.3m in width, with a capacity of 24,346 TEUs, her arrival at @PortOfVizhinjam marks a historic moment,” he said.

“A proud milestone that underscores our port’s strategic global role and galvanises our collective dream of growth,” Vijayan posted.

The MSC IRINA – the world’s largest container ship by TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) capacity – boasts an impressive capacity of 24,346 TEUs, making it a formidable player in global shipping. With a length of 399.9 metres and a width of 61.3 metres, the vessel is approximately four times longer than a standard FIFA-designated football field.

The port, developed and operated by Adani Ports and SEZ Ltd, has recently welcomed other icon-class vessels, including MSC Turkiye and MSC Michel Cappellini, further establishing its reputation as a key hub in maritime trade.

The MSC IRINA was launched in March 2023 and embarked on its maiden voyage in April of the same year. It sails under the Liberian flag and is engineered to stack containers up to 26 tiers high, offering unparalleled capacity in container stacking.

Significantly, the MSC IRINA surpasses its predecessor, OOCL Spain, by a margin of 150 TEUs.

According to the company, the docking of the MSC IRINA at Vizhinjam International Seaport not only underscores the port’s strategic importance in global shipping but also represents a leap forward in sustainable maritime practices, setting a benchmark for future developments in the industry.

–IANS

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