World's largest container ship MSC IRINA arrives at Vizhinjam International Seaport
The world's largest container ship, MSC IRINA, has arrived at Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala, marking a significant milestone for the newly inaugurated port. With a capacity of 24,346 TEUs, the vessel is designed to enhance trade routes between Asia and Europe. MSC IRINA also features energy-saving technologies to reduce carbon emissions, setting a new standard for sustainable maritime practices.
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The world's largest container ship MSC IRINA , on Monday arrived at the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram , Kerala. The berthing process for the vessel has begun at the port.MSC IRINA is recognised as the world's largest container vessel by TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) capacity. Vizhinjam International Seaport, which is managed by the AdGroup, was recently inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2. The arrival of MSC IRINA marks a significant milestone for the newly opened port.The MSC IRINA 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.Explicitly designed to facilitate the transportation of large volumes of containers between Asia and Europe, the MSC IRINA is pivotal in enhancing trade routes and logistics efficiency.This vessel will be visiting a South Asian port, highlighting Vizhinjam's capabilities in handling Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULCVs).The port 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.Notably, the MSC IRINA surpasses its predecessor, OOCL Spain, by a margin of 150 TEUs. In alignment with contemporary environmental standards, the vessel is equipped with energy-saving features that contribute to reducing carbon emissions by up to 4 per cent, significantly lowering its carbon footprint while maintaining operational efficiency.The docking of the MSC IRINA at Vizhinjam International Seaport not only highlights 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.
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Mr. Gandhi was furious. ' Kuchh to gadbad hai '(something is fishy), he muttered. Chief Minister Karunakaran, who was also the minister for fisheries, gestured to an official, who said the allottees had not moved in. The Prime Minister told former Chief Minister A.K. Anthony, who was accompanying him in his capacity as party general secretary, 'Anthony, can you locate an allottee in the crowd? I want to talk to him.' The bluff had been called. The incident was televised on Doordarshan that evening. While Mr Gandhi was infuriated, an unexpected advantage of the visit was a discussion on the history and potential of Vizhinjam. The ball was set rolling. Why Vizhinjam Is Important Vizhinjam, though a project of the Kerala government, is a port of national significance. It is the only transhipment terminal in the Indian subcontinent. Being the pioneer deepwater transportation hub, it contributes to revolutionising India's blue economy. 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MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company, a Swiss-based container shipping giant) Irina is the biggest container vessel and can carry more than 24,300 standard 20-foot shipping containers stacked up to 22 decks. It measures 399.99 meters in length and 61.3 meters in beam. With the docking of Irinam, Vizhinjam will be competing with international ports like Colombo, Salalah (Oman), Jebel Ali (Dubai-UAE), as well as Singapore. Vizhinjam's strategic location in the international shipping route connects Europe, the Persian Gulf and the Far East. It is proximate to the East-West shipping axis, which accounts for a substantial quantum of global maritime trade. While Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Ltd., which is tasked with running the port, has developed its infrastructure, road and rail connectivity to the place, located 20 km from Thiruvananthapuram on National Highway 66, is still under development. 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NDTV
2 hours ago
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