Kochi, April 4 DP World Cochin has welcomed MSC Ilaria, one of the largest container vessels to call at the International Container Transshipment Terminal, officials said on Saturday.
In a statement, DP World said the vessel handled over 8,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) – including import, export, and transshipment volumes – the "highest ever achieved in a single vessel operation" at the terminal.
The new record surpasses the previous milestone of over 6,000 TEUs handled by MSC Aurora.
"The arrival of MSC Ilaria underscores DP World Cochin’s ability to handle next-generation Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs) and support growing trade volumes with efficiency and reliability," the statement said.
MSC Ilaria has a capacity of 16,616 TEUs, with an overall length of 366 metres, a beam of 51 metres, deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 171,079 tonnes, and a maximum draft of 17 metres, the statement added.
DP World Cochin said it has significantly expanded the port’s capacity through strategic infrastructure investments, including new Ship-to-Shore (STS) cranes, electrified Rubber-Tyred Gantry Cranes (e-RTGs), and expanded yard space, boosting the terminal’s total capacity to around 1.4 million TEUs.
The terminal’s power infrastructure has been upgraded from 3 MVA to 5 MVA to ensure seamless operations during peak demand, while 100 per cent electrification of yard cranes, along with an in-house solar plant, reduces the carbon footprint of cargo handling.
"These enhancements have strengthened DP World Cochin’s ability to handle larger vessels, improve productivity, and ensure faster, more efficient operations," the statement said.
Dipin Kayyath, Chief Executive Officer–Ports and Terminals, DP World Cochin, said handling a vessel of this scale for the first time marks a "proud milestone" for the team and reinforces the terminal’s role as South India’s premier gateway.
DP World noted that the terminal benefits from minimal deviation from international sea routes and proximity to key cargo origins in Kerala and southwest Tamil Nadu, offering high cost and time advantages for EXIM trade.
The statement added that the terminal also provides strong coastal connectivity across India, from Gujarat to Kolkata, serving as a key transit point for cargo movement between the east and west coasts.