The world’s largest container ship, MSC IRINA, arrived at the Vizhinjam International Seaport in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, on Monday. The port has started the berthing process for this huge vessel.

MSC IRINA is known as the world’s largest container ship by TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) capacity. The Vizhinjam International Seaport is managed by the Adani Group and was officially opened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2. The arrival of MSC IRINA is a big achievement for this new port.

The ship can carry 24,346 TEUs. It is very big, with a length of 399.9 metres and a width of 61.3 metres. To give you an idea, the ship is about four times longer than a FIFA football field. MSC IRINA is built especially to carry a large number of containers between Asia and Europe. This helps improve trade routes and makes shipping more efficient.

This is the first time the ship is visiting a South Asian port, showing that Vizhinjam can handle Ultra-Large Container Vessels (ULCVs). The port has already received other large ships, such as MSC Turkiye and MSC Michel Cappellini. This proves Vizhinjam is becoming an important hub for maritime trade.

MSC IRINA was launched in March 2023 and started its first trip in April 2023. It sails under the Liberian flag. The ship can stack containers up to 26 tiers high, which means it can carry a huge number of containers safely.

MSC IRINA is bigger than its predecessor, OOCL Spain, by 150 TEUs. It is also built with energy-saving features. These help reduce carbon emissions by up to 4 cent. This is important because it lowers the ship’s carbon footprint while keeping it running well.

The docking of MSC IRINA at Vizhinjam International Seaport shows the port’s growing role in global shipping. It also sets a new example in sustainable maritime practices, which is good for the future of the shipping industry.

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