India’s Vizhinjam port launches ship-to-ship bunkering

A vessel operated by Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has been bunkered with an unspecified quantity of VLSFO in Vizhinjam port’s inaugural ship-to-ship (STS) bunkering operation.

IMAGE: Ship-to-ship bunkering of MSC Akiteta II at India's port of Vizhinjam. Facebook of V.N. Vasavan

Indian physical supplier Adani Bunkering supplied VLSFO to MSC’s container vessel MSC Akiteta II via its bunker vessel MT Shaun 1, according to Indian ports minister, V.N. Vasavan.

Adani Bunkering also offers physical deliveries of VLSFO, HSFO and marine gasoil (MGO) by barge at the ports of Kandla, Sikka, Vadinar and Jamnagar in Gujarat and through pipelines at Mundra.

“With the start of this service in Vizhinjam, the dependence on foreign ports for refuelling can be reduced,” Vasavan said.

The Port of Vizhinjam, located on India’s southwest coast in Kerala, is the country’s first deep-water trans-shipment hub. It is located 10 nautical miles off the Suez–Far East route, and this proximity positions it to serve vessels travelling between Europe, the Gulf and Asia.

By Konica Bhatt

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