Battling mighty waves, San Fernando to reach Vizhinjam from China on July 10 night

A ship called San Fernando — a container vessel built in 2015 and operated by shipping line Maersk and now sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands — will be the first container ship to make a port of call at the Vizhinjam International Seaport. The ship, which embarked on its maiden voyage from Xiamen, China, to the coast of Kerala, was sailing across the South China near the Strait of Malacca Sea on Saturday.

The San Fernando that sails at a speed of 15.2 knots as of Saturday, is expected to arrive off the coast of Vizhinjam on the night of July 10. The ship with a length of 300 metres and a beam of 48 metres, would be assisted by three tugs and a pilot cum survey vessel to berth at Vizhinjam. The ship will not be powered when it reaches close to the Vizhinjam, as a powered ship within the controlled areas of the port poses many operational threats to the port infrastructure. 

The pilot-cum-survey vessel is expected to lead the convoy, while the tugs will pull and orient the ship. One of the key metrics that measures the efficiency of the port in the global maritime trade is the turnaround time of the vessel at the port—the time a container ship has to spend here right from arrival at the anchorage or berth to departure from the port. “We hope that the vessel can depart for Colombo and then to ports in West Asia as per its schedule in just 24 hours after discharging the containers here, said a port source.

“Apart from berthing, the operational efficiency of cargo unloading and loading, necessary documentation procedures, and the competitiveness of the port would also be put to the test during the port of call here, as the less time a vessel spends in a port increases the profit margin of the charters. The containers carrying the ship would be discharged here, but no containers would be taken out of the port by land or rail. The entire cargo is meant for transhipment,” said sources.

For the export and import of cargo from here, the State will have to wait further as a few more clearances need to be secured, including from the Ministry of Home Affairs, said the source. If the fair weather remains off the coast of Kerala, the first ship will berth on July 11 as per schedule, and the official ceremony associated with the receiving of the containers and ship will be held on July 12, said officials.