Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone’s Mundra port has become the first in India to berth a fully laden Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC), the company said on Wednesday. The vessel , MT New Renown, has a cargo capacity of 3.3 lakh cubic metres.
The development marks a step in India’s crude oil import logistics, allowing direct handling of large tankers without partial offloading at offshore locations. According to Adani Group, the Mundra Port can handle vessels with a displacement of up to 3.6 lakh metric tonnes.
Infrastructure and connectivity
The Mundra terminal includes a dedicated VLCC jetty and pipeline connectivity to the HPCL Rajasthan Refinery, enabling direct crude transfers. The company said the port is among a limited number of global ports with this configuration.
Karan Adani said in a post on X, “Today, Mundra became the first port in India to handle a fully laden Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) on a berth — MT New Renown — with a total cargo capacity of 3.3 lakh cubic metres. Milestones and our Mundra port go hand in hand!”
India meets over 85 per cent of its crude oil demand through imports. VLCC-capable ports reduce logistics costs by enabling direct discharge.
Mundra’s infrastructure includes a pipeline linking the port to HPCL’s Rajasthan refinery at Barmer.
Mundra Port features 27 operational berths and two Single Point Moorings (SPMs); the 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).