India Creates Maritime History: Adani Ports’ Mundra Berths Nation’s First Fully Laden Very Large Crude Carrier

In a defining moment for India’s maritime and energy infrastructure, Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd. (APSEZ) today announced the berthing of India’s first-ever fully laden Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) 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.

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.

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.

A Landmark in India’s Maritime History

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. This milestone underscores APSEZ’s leadership in developing world-class, future-ready port infrastructure aligned with India’s growing energy and trade requirements.

A Rare Global Capability

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.

Strategic Energy and Economic Impact

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

• Regional economic growth across Gujarat and Rajasthan

India’s First-of-Its-Kind VLCC Jetty

The purpose-built VLCC jetty at Mundra is a pioneering engineering and operational achievement:

• Jetty Length: 400 m

• Berth Pocket Depth: 25 m

• Maximum Acceptable LOA: 333 m

• Maximum Displacement: 3,60,000 MT (Million Tonnes)

• Maximum Draft: 21.6 m

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• Cargo Handling:

• 2 × 20-inch crude oil loading arms

• Maximum discharge rate – 10,000–12,000 m³ per hour

• Marine Infrastructure:

• 4 breasting dolphins

• 6 mooring dolphins with high-capacity hooks (up to 150 tons SWL (Safe Working Load) each)

• Advanced fender systems for ultra-large vessels

Mundra Port: An Infrastructure Powerhouse

Mundra — APSEZ’s flagship port and India’s largest commercial port — is strategically located in the Gulf of Kutch, serving as a critical maritime gateway for northern and western India.

The deep-water, all-weather port features:

• 27 operational berths and 2 Single Point Moorings (SPMs)

• Capability to handle dry bulk, break-bulk, project cargo, liquids, containers, automobiles, and crude oil

• Accommodation of Cape size vessels, VLCCs and Ultra Large Crude Carriers (ULCCs) and ultra large container vessels(ULCVs)

Mundra is also India’s largest container handling port, with the country’s highest container, import coal and overall commercial cargo handling capacities. Mundra became the first port in India to handle over 200 million metric tons (MMT) of cargo in a single year in 2024-25, reinforcing its unmatched scale and operational leadership.

Global Recognition

Mundra Port has been recognised in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) for 2024 and 2025, reflecting its efficiency, reliability and adherence to international best practices.