Equal to 4 foot ball grounds and 22 storied building
(Shankar Raj)
Thiruvananthapuram: Creating maritime history in India, one of the largest container ships would touch the Kerala coast at Vizhinjam, the nation’s only deep seaport. And in another historical moment, MSC Irina is being captained by Willy Antony, a native of Thrissur in Kerala. But unfortunately, he cannot touch the soil of Kerala as Vizhinjam does not have crew exchanging facilities as of now.
However, the port authorities are planning a special welcome for Willy, his crew and the mammoth ship. Currently, the vessel has reached the outer anchorage and the people of Vizhinjam are excited.
Though scheduled to berth on June 5, the ship will have to wait for two extra days in the outer anchorage as there are seven ships at the busy port waiting for docking.
The giant vessel equivalent in length to four football fields is capable of carrying cargo stacked as high as a 22-storey building. The vessel owned by Mediterranean Shipping Company and flying the Liberian flag will require four tugs to assist in mooring, compared to the usual two. An estimated 4,000 containers will be handled during its stay at Vizhinjam.
“Berthing is going to be challenging considering the monsoon condition. But the port has experienced people, including two of my former colleagues, to handle it,” he said. “Vizhinjam has a geographical advantage for its natural depth,” Willy said.
According to The New Indian Express, Captain Willy, 47, hailing from Puranattukara, is thrilled to bring MSC Irna to his home state.
“It’s a proud moment for me to command a ship of this scale. This vessel and Vizhinjam are both dear to me. Bringing the ship to my own land doubles the joy,” he was quoted in the press.
“We should all strive to make Vizhinjam the world’s number 1 port. Just as we provide top-class facilities for ships, there should also be support for seafarers. My crew and I still cannot set foot on our own soil,” he said.
After a two-day stopover, Irina will continue its journey to Spain.
Capt Willy is a seasoned mariner with 29 years of experience and visits to 120 countries under his belt. He has been commanding MSC Irina since its commissioning in March 2023. The vessel’s voyage included stops in Singapore, China, and South Korea before returning to Singapore. His wife, Hilda, and son, Benhail, accompanied him on the initial leg of the journey and disembarked in Singapore.
Earlier, Vizhinjam received some of the biggest vessels such as MSC Claude Girardet in September 2024 and MSC Türkiye in April 2025.
(Report from Shankar Raj, senior journalist based in Kerala)
