VIZHINJAM: The world’s largest cargo ship, MSC IRINA, which has been anchored off the coast of Vizhinjam for the past week awaiting berth clearance, will finally dock at 8 a.m. today. The ship arrived in the outer sea near Vizhinjam Port on the night of June 3rd at around 7 p.m., and will remain docked at Vizhinjam Port for two more days for cargo handling.

Around 4,000 containers will be unloaded at Vizhinjam, after which the vessel will depart with a few containers still onboard. The delay in berthing was due to ongoing container handling from a feeder vessel at the port. Including IRINA, a total of 49 vessels are scheduled for this month.

MSC IRINA:

• Size equivalent to a 22-storey building, with a length of 400 meters and a width exceeding 61 meters.
• The ship, with a deck area of 24,000 square meters, can carry 24,346 TEU containers.
• Can accommodate 25 containers in a single row.
• Built in 2023, the ship has 35 crew members.
• Sailed from Singapore, travelled via China and South Korea, and returned to Singapore before heading to Vizhinjam.
• The vessel was brought to India for the first time by Malayali captain Villi Antony, a native of Puranattukara, Thrissur. Abhinand from Kannur is also part of the crew.

Mega ships
MSC owns six mega ships of the same class as IRINA. The vessels include:

1. IRINA
2. LORETA
3. MICHEL CAPPELLINI
4. MARIELLA
5. MICOL
6. TURKIYE

These ships are collectively known as the IRINA Class, named after the first of the series. MSC TURKIYE had previously visited Vizhinjam Port.

World record:
MSC IRINA and MSC TESSA, both ultra-large container vessels ordered by BOCOM Leasing Company for MSC, were named and launched simultaneously, setting a world record for a joint naming and launch of two mega ships.