Adani’s Mundra Port in Gujarat makes history by docking largest container ship ‘MSC Anna’
This is the largest container ship by capacity to visit an Indian port, with a length overall (LOA) of 399.98 metres, or the equivalent of four football fields.
The MSC Anna, a 400-metre long container ship anchored at the flagship facility of Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (ASPEZ), Mundra Port, on Sunday, May 26th, 2024, setting a milestone by welcoming the largest container ship to ever dock at an Indian port.
MSC Anna: Setting New Records at Mundra Port
The impressive ship is the largest container ship by capacity to visit an Indian port, with a length overall (LOA) of 399.98 metres, or the equivalent of four football fields. Its carrying capacity is 19,200 TEUs or twenty-foot equivalent units. This vessel is only a metre long than the earlier biggest one – MV MSC Hamburg – that docked last July, with the capacity if 15,652 TEUs.
As no other Indian port is now able to dock such a deep-draft vessel, the MSC Anna needs deep waters, which only Mundra Port can accommodate due to its arrival draft of 16.3 metres, the statement continued.
“The arrival of MSC Anna at Mundra not only highlights the port’s capacity to handle mega ships but also reflects its role in enhancing India’s maritime trade capabilities. As ASPEZ continues to expand and upgrade its facilities, the port is set to play an increasingly significant role in the global shipping and logistics landscape,” Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ) said in a statement.
The APL Raffles, a 13,892 TEU ship registered in Singapore that was the largest container ship to visit any Indian port at the time, was also berthed by APSEZ in 2021. The length and breadth of the APL Raffles are 397.88 and 51 metres, respectively.
Ever since the port of Mundra berthed its first ship, Alpha, on October 7, 1998, it has established itself as one of the world’s most prestigious and technologically sophisticated ports. Notably, its container terminal CT-3 accomplished a noteworthy distinction by becoming the first in India to process three million TEUs annually.
“Adani Ports, Mundra’s evolution into a vital hub for both domestic and international trade is a testament to its strategic planning and world class facilities. Spanning over 35,000 acres, it is India’s largest commercial port, equipped with deep draft and all-weather capabilities. These enable the efficient evacuation of cargo and significantly reduce turnaround times for vessels, making it an attractive destination for major global shipping lines,” the release stated.
In addition, it made history in October by handling 16 MMT of goods in one month, making it the first in India. Additionally, its container port CT-3 accomplished a noteworthy first by becoming the first in India to oversee three million TEUs annually. In November 2023, the terminal set a record for monthly handling with over 3,00,000 TEUs, the most of any terminal in India.
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