Bhubaneswar:Vizag General Cargo Berth Private Limited (VGCB), a port terminal located in Visakhapatnam and a unit of Vedanta Aluminium, has set a new benchmark in the maritime sector by successfully berthing MV Captain Leonidas, one of the largest bauxite vessels to ever arrive in India. The vessel carrying 199,500 metric tonnes (MT) of bauxite cargo, marked a new high for the facility’s cargo handling capacity. The successful berthing of MV Captain Leonidas will not only boost the operational capacity of the port but also contribute to Vizag’s development as a major player in the global bauxite trade.
Last year, MV Huahine successfully berthed at VGCB’s terminal, delivering a record-breaking 199,900 MT of manganese ore – the largest single-cargo shipment ever received at any Indian port. With ongoing investments in advanced technologies and streamlined operations, VGCB is poised to further elevate Vizag’s status as a leading global transshipment hub.
The arrival of MV Captain Leonidas, with a beam of 50 meters, a draft of 17.9 meters, and a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 203,095 MT, underscores VGCB’s ability to handle large vessels with swift and efficient operations. The successful offloading of this massive cargo marks a significant milestone, further strengthening the port’s reputation as a high-capacity, modern terminal aligned with global standards. This achievement highlights VGCB’s operational efficiency, positioning the port as a critical transshipment hub for bulk commodities, with faster turnaround times leading to higher productivity, reduced operational costs for shipping lines, and enhanced infrastructure capacity.
Chikkala Sateesh Kumar, CEO & Director of VGCB, Vedanta Limited, said, “Thismilestone fills us with immense pride as we continue to contribute to India’s maritime sector. Successfully offloading such a massive cargo within just five days is a significant achievement, and this underscores our commitment to operational excellence and reinforces our strategic vision of enhancing Vizag’s position as a leading global transshipment hub. We look forward to further strengthening our contribution to India’s growing maritime industry.”
VGCB, a subsidiary of Vedanta Limited has been awarded the General Cargo Berth (GCB) at the outer harbour of Visakhapatnam port for mechanization of coal handling facilities and upgradation for multi-cargo handling on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (DBFOT) basis through private sector participation for 30 years’ concession period effective October 2010. This project is one of the measures to reduce coal dust pollution in the port. The project has been awarded to a consortium led by Vedanta Limited and is managed by a Special Purpose Vehicle called Vizag General Cargo Berth Pvt. Ltd. (VGCB). The project includes extension of berth to cater 200,000 DWT capacity vessels and mechanization of complete multi-cargo handling facilities.
