World’s Largest Eco-Friendly Container Ship MSC Turkiye Docks at India’s First Deep-Water Transshipment Hub

In a historic maritime milestone, the world’s largest eco-friendly container vessel, MSC Turkiye, docked at India’s newly built Vizhinjam International Seaport – the country’s first deep-water transshipment port.

This marks the first-ever South Asian port call for the 399.9-meter-long, 24,346-TEU capacity vessel, operated by the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC). The arrival of MSC Turkiye reinforces Vizhinjam’s emerging status as a global logistics hub capable of handling the biggest ships afloat.

The ultra-modern vessel docked at 5:10 pm on Wednesday and is expected to depart for Ghana on Thursday evening after unloading approximately 2,000 containers.

Despite the port still awaiting formal inauguration, Vizhinjam has processed over 5.2 lakh TEUs since trial operations began on July 12, 2024, with the MSC Turkiye becoming the 257th ship to call at the terminal.

Strategically located just 10 nautical miles from the key East-West shipping route, Vizhinjam is uniquely positioned to receive large vessels directly without feeder ship assistance. The port is operated by Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd, India’s largest private port developer.

In its March update, Adani Ports reported the terminal handled over 100,000 TEUs in a single month, contributing to a company-wide record of 41.5 million metric tonnes of cargo across all terminals.

Eco-friendly giants like the MSC Turkiye represent the future of maritime transport. These vessels are powered by hybrid or energy-efficient engines and feature sustainable tech like solar panels, wind-assisted propulsion, and advanced emission-reduction systems to minimize environmental impact.

Notably, MSC Claude Girardet, another mega-ship from the same fleet, had visited Vizhinjam in September 2024, though it carried fewer containers.

Adani Ports currently manages 14 key terminals across India—including Gujarat’s Mundra Port, the country’s largest—and handles a broad mix of cargo from containers to coal, oil, and gas.

While Adani Ports’ stock closed 0.32% higher at ₹1,135 in the last session, it has shown a mixed performance recently. Over the past 6 months, the stock declined nearly 20%, though it remains a long-term gainer with a 350%+ rise over five years.

With Vizhinjam emerging as a strategic transshipment gateway, India is set to strengthen its footprint in the global shipping and logistics arena.