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India's First Fully Laden VLCC Docks at Mundra Port, Boosting Energy Security

Adani Ports has achieved a historic milestone by berthing India's first-ever fully laden Very Large Crude Carrier at its Mundra Port. The operation with the Mt New Renown, handled under challenging conditions, showcases the port's advanced capabilities. This development strengthens India's energy security by enabling direct, efficient crude imports through Mundra's dedicated VLCC jetty, which is connected to a key refinery. The achievement places Mundra among a select group of global ports capable of such operations, marking a transformational shift in the country's crude oil logistics.

Key Points: First Fully Laden VLCC Docks at India's Mundra Port

  • First Indian port to handle fully laden VLCC
  • 3.3 lakh m3 capacity vessel Mt New Renown
  • Enhances energy security & supply chain resilience
  • Connected to HPCL Rajasthan Refinery via pipeline
  • Eliminates need for traditional offshore moorings
2 min read

Adani Ports berths India's 1st-ever fully laden Very Large Crude Carrier at Mundra Port

Adani Ports berths India's first fully laden Very Large Crude Carrier at Mundra, marking a major leap in maritime infrastructure and energy logistics.

"a transformational shift in India's crude oil logistics - Adani Ports statement"

Ahmedabad, Jan 8

In a defining moment for India's maritime and energy infrastructure, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd on Thursday announced the berthing of India's first-ever fully laden Very Large Crude Carrier at its Mundra Port.

With the docking of Mt New Renown, which has a total cargo capacity of 3.3 lakh m3 (meter cube), Mundra became the first port in India to handle Fully Laden VLCC at Berth, the Adani Group company said in a statement.

The handling of Mt New Renown was executed under challenging conditions with strong currents, winds and sea states, showcasing expertise, coordination and operational excellence of the APSEZ marine team and port management.

Mundra's VLCC jetty is seamlessly connected via a 489 km crude oil pipeline to the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery at Barmer -- one of India's most strategic refining assets.

This direct connectivity significantly enhances India's energy security; efficiency of large-scale crude imports; supply chain resilience; and regional economic growth across Gujarat and Rajasthan.

The port facility allows berthing of a fully laden VLCC at maximum displacement, represents a transformational shift in India's crude oil logistics, enabling safer, faster and more cost-efficient crude handling through direct jetty operations.

Direct jetty berthing of fully laden VLCCs is available at only a limited number of ports across the world due to extreme draft, displacement and infrastructure requirements of these vessels.

With this achievement, Mundra Port is now among select global crude handling hubs, strengthening India's position in the global maritime and energy map. Mundra's advanced vessel-handling capability eliminates dependency on offshore Single Point Moorings (SPMs) or lightering operations that were traditionally used for such large vessels, said the company.

"This development also highlights Mundra's significance as the first port in the country and among a select few in the world to have a dedicated jetty capable of directly berthing fully laden VLCCs," it added.

Mundra Port features 27 operational berths and two Single Point Moorings (SPMs); capability to handle dry bulk, break-bulk, project cargo, liquids, containers, automobiles, and crude oil and accommodation of Cape size vessels, VLCCs and Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCCs) and ultra large container vessels (ULCVs).

Mundra became the first port in India to handle over 200 million metric tonnes (MMT) of cargo in a single year in 2024-25, reinforcing its unmatched scale and operational leadership.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who follows logistics, this is a game-changer. The direct pipeline to the Rajasthan refinery is the real masterstroke. It streamlines the entire supply chain. Hope this leads to more such integrated projects across India.
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Priya S
Great news for energy security! But I hope the environmental impact assessments for such large-scale port operations and the pipeline are robust and publicly available. Development is good, but it must be sustainable.
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Rohit P
Waah! 200 MMT cargo and now this. Mundra is truly a powerhouse. This will create so many indirect jobs in Gujarat and Rajasthan. The economic ripple effect will be huge. More power to Indian ports!
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Aman W
Impressive technical feat. Eliminating the need for Single Point Moorings or lightering operations saves time and reduces risk. Shows how far our port engineering has come. Next step should be developing more such facilities on the east coast.
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Kavya N
While this is a proud moment, I do hope the benefits in terms of cost-efficiency are passed on to the end consumer. Often such infrastructure leaps are celebrated, but the common person doesn't see a difference in petrol/diesel prices.

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