New Delhi, Jan 29 (IANS): Adani CMA Mundra Terminal Pvt Ltd (ACMTPL) a joint venture between Adani Ports & SEZ Ltd and CMA Terminals at Mundra, berthed APL Raffles, making it the largest container vessel to call India.

APL Raffles is one of the largest vessels in the fleet of CMA CGM. Built in 2013, this 1,76,727 DWT, 17292 TEUs capacity vessel is 397.88 metre long and 51 meter wide. This is almost equivalent to four football fields.

This is another important milestone for Mundra Port. In 2021, Mundra Port became the largest container port in India, and now the port has berthed, at one of its terminals, the largest container vessel to call India. The call of APL Raffles not only endorses the capabilities of the port to handle large container vessels, but also reiterates the role of ACMTPL in boosting trade between India and its key trading partners.

At the time of berthing the vessel's draft was 14.8 m, displacement 2,01,548 MT and had a cargo of 13,159 TEUs on board. The ship has arrived from Middle East carrying imports from Gulf, Greater China and Southeast Asia. The vessel exchanged close to 4,000 TEUs of import, export and trans-shipment containers while it was berthed at Mundra Port. APL Raffles will continue her onward journey to Far East Asia.

Mundra Port continues to attract large size ships consolidating its position as the most preferred gateway of Indian EXIM cargoes, especially agri products and manufactured goods. Other significantly large container vessels which have called on Mundra Port are MSC Regulus which has an LOA of 366.45 m MSC Valeria which has an LOA of 366 m.

The port offers 26 berths and two single-point moorings with an annual capacity to handle 248.82 MMT cargo with dedicated terminals for different cargo and commodity types.

Mundra Port, India's biggest commercial port by volumes, is a deep-water, all-weather port, equipped to handle dry bulk, break bulk, project cargo, liquid, containers, automobiles and crude oil.