World's largest container ship MSC IRINA docks at Vizhinjam port

Thiruvananthapuram: MSC IRINA, which is currently the world's largest container ship, berthed at the Vizhinjam international seaport here on Monday.

According to a statement from Adani ports, a water salute was given to the ship as it made the maiden visit to a South Asian port.

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. It has a capacity of 24,346 TEUs. The vessel’s arrival highlights Vizhinjam's capabilities in handling ultra-large container vessels.

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said in a post on X that the arrival of MSC IRINA was a milestone that underscores the port's strategic global role.

The vessel is expected to remain berthed until Tuesday. The arrival of the MSC IRINA marks a major step forward for the new deepwater port, which was formally inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2.

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

(With PTI inputs)