The government is preparing to move forward with the commissioning of
the first phase of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd (VISL) for commercial
operation on December 3, following successful trial runs. A final decision will be made in consultation with Adani Vizhinjam Port
Pvt Ltd, said officials. They said that port operations have advanced
significantly during the trial period, and an announcement regarding the
commissioning is expected soon.
The trial operations of the port began in July with the successful
berthing of a mothership named San Fernando. Since then, the port has welcomed
20 ships. VISL, India’s first semi-automated container port, demonstrated its
capabilities by unloading over 60,503 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units) of cargo
from the ship.
The port set a new record by
handling 10,330 TEUs in a single vessel exchange with MSC ANNA, one of the
largest container ships in the world, earlier this month. The most recent ship to
berth was MSC LISBON, which departed the port on Sunday.
The VISL is equipped with eight ship-to-shore cranes, including the
largest in the category (1,620-tonne) in the country, and 23-yard cranes. The
ship-to-shore cranes are used to lift the containers from the ship and place
them in the terminal track.
Additionally, the port has received regular International Ship and Port
Facility Security (ISPS) Code certification, solidifying its status as a secure
hub for global maritime trade. ISPS approval is mandatory for the service of
international vessels.
The permanent certification follows provisional approval granted in
March. The marine merchant department,
part of the Centre’s Ministry of Shipping and Ports, issued the certification
in accordance with the International Maritime Organisation, a specialised
agency of the UN.
Recently, the port also obtained its navigational chart from the
National Hydrographic Office, which serves as an authoritative guide containing
safety information and other documents for ships.