Our Bureau
Vizhinjam
The largest container ship in the world, MSC IRINA berthed at Vizhinjam port in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India on Monday 9th June. This trip of the largest container ship was its first call in South Asia. The container ship is the largest ship by Twenty‑foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) capacity known to mankind.
The container ship has the capacity of around 24,346 TEUs which makes it a kind of anomaly in global shipping markets. Being labelled as the largest container ship, MSC IRINA is 399.9 metres long and has a width of 61.3 metres. The ship has a huge capacity and can contain up to 24346 standard 20‑foot containers and stack them up to 26 tiers high.
The Managing Director of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, Karan Adani posted on his official X account. The post read, “Proud to welcome MSC Irina, the world’s largest container ship with a capacity of 24,346 TEUs, to our Vizhinjam Port. This marks the vessel’s maiden visit to South Asian shores, making it a milestone not just for Vizhinjam but for India’s emergence as a key player in global transshipment. A bold vision now in motion.”
It is being reported that the container ship will remain alongside for a day till June 10th. The container’s arrival at the Vizhinjam port showcased the capacity of the port to handle such a huge container. It was a huge feat for the port that was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2nd. The port has previously docked Icon‑class ships MSC Türkiye and MSC Michael Cappellini.
The container ship, as its size presents, is designed to transport a large number of containers between Asia and Europe. MSC IRINA is equipped with several energy saving features that can cut carbon emission of the vessel by somewhere around 4%. This will lower the carbon footprint of the ship and help in maintaining its operational efficiency.