Vizhinjam International Port has set a new benchmark by handling a container vessel with a draft of 16.95 meters, the deepest ever recorded at the port and the second-largest ship to call at an Indian port.

The vessel MSC Virginia, which earlier arrived from Mundra Port with a draft of 16 meters, departed for Spain after loading about 5,000 TEUs of cargo at Vizhinjam, raising its draft to 16.95 meters. The achievement came as a symbolic Onam gift to Kerala.

Previously, the deepest vessel handled at Vizhinjam had a draft of 16.8 meters. With this operation, the port has now successfully managed 17 vessels with drafts exceeding 16.5 meters, underlining its capacity to accommodate the world’s largest container ships.

Vizhinjam’s natural draft depth of 18 to 20 meters positions it as one of India’s premier deep-water transshipment hubs, further boosting its profile in the global maritime community