The Vizhinjam International Seaport has set a new operational milestone by handling MSC Virginia, a container vessel with a draft of 16.95 metres — the second-highest draft ever recorded at an Indian port.

The vessel departed for Spain on Sunday morning after completing cargo operations at the port. MSC Virginia had arrived from Adani Mundra Port with a draft of 16 metres. After handling nearly 5,000 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of cargo, the draft increased to 16.95 metres, setting a new benchmark for the port.

A ship’s draft is the vertical distance between the waterline and the lowest part of the hull (the keel). It indicates how deeply the vessel sits in the water and determines the minimum depth a port must have to safely accommodate the ship.

Previously, the highest draft handled at Vizhinjam was 16.8 metres. To date, the port has received 17 vessels with drafts exceeding 16.5 metres.

With a natural depth of 18 to 20 metres, Vizhinjam’s waters are a significant advantage, reinforcing the port’s capacity to handle some of the largest container vessels in global maritime trade.