Vizag General Cargo Berth Private Limited (VGCB), a port terminal in Visakhapatnam under Vedanta Aluminium, has handled one of the largest bauxite vessels to arrive in India. The MV Captain Leonidas, carrying 199,500 metric tonnes (MT) of bauxite cargo, was berthed at the facility, marking a record for its cargo handling capacity.
The berthing of the vessel is expected to enhance the port’s operational capacity and strengthen Vizag’s position in the global bauxite trade. The terminal has previously handled large shipments, including MV Huahine, which delivered 199,900 MT of manganese ore last year.
Operational efficiency and expansion plans
MV Captain Leonidas has a beam of 50 metres, a draft of 17.9 metres, and a deadweight tonnage (DWT) of 203,095 MT. The offloading of the cargo took five days, reflecting the terminal’s operational efficiency.
The ability to manage such vessels is expected to improve turnaround times, reduce operational costs for shipping lines, and expand infrastructure capacity.
Chikkala Sateesh Kumar, CEO and whole time director of VGCB, Vedanta Limited, said, “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, was awarded the General Cargo Berth (GCB) at Visakhapatnam port’s outer harbour for mechanising coal handling and upgrading multi-cargo handling facilities under a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) agreement.