Ship leaves Vizhinjam port after repositioning containers

T'puram: The biggest container ship, MSC Claude Girardet, has left Vizhinjam Port after being docked for around five hours on Friday.The crane at the port repositioned a few empty containers on the ship to help it maintain balance. Container ships often call on ports to do the exercise."This is done to ensure that the balance is correct for the ship," said a port official. It is also done to reposition empty containers that need to be unloaded at the next port or make space to load full containers.Adani Ports said the visit by the ship was an achievement because it was the first time such a ship has come to India.In a message posted on social media, Adani Ports MD Karan Adani said: "The ultra-large container vessel with a capacity of 24,116 containers is carrying 20,425 TEUs (20-foot equivalent unit), marking the highest TEUs any vessel has brought to not just India but the entire South Asian region.""This ship was supposed to dock in the morning on Friday but docked in the afternoon and left at night," said an official.The ship has left for Portugal. The port is also looking at welcoming more ships for repositioning containers, a requirement crucial for such ships that pass by the shipping route that lies close to Vizhinjam port. This brings revenue to the port.In this case, the arrival of the ship during the trial period helped the port understand the requirements for handling such giant ships in the future. This means that shipping companies are likely to allow their ships to drop anchor at Vizhinjam as they sail from Southeast Asia to Europe. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Valentine's day wishes, messages and quotes !