VO Chidambaranar Port at Tuticorin has set a new vessel-length record after berthing the 335.23-metre MV CMA CGM THORIUM at the Tuticorin International Container Terminal, surpassing the previous record set in December 2025.
The vessel, which has a beam of 51 metres and arrived with a draft of 13.5 metres, called at the port from Santos, Brazil. It is scheduled to handle 3,276 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) during its visit, including 1,324 TEUs of import cargo and 1,952 TEUs of restow cargo, according to the report by Times of India – Chennai.
The latest call exceeds the earlier record held by the 304-metre MV MSC Michaela, which berthed at the port in December 2025. The increase in vessel length reflects the port’s ability to accommodate larger container ships at TICT following recent marine infrastructure and navigational improvements.
The CMA CGM THORIUM is scheduled to proceed to Singapore after completing its operations at Tuticorin. Its arrival connects the port’s cargo-handling activity with an international shipping route linking Brazil, southern India and Southeast Asia.
A vessel’s ability to berth depends on more than quay length. Draft, approach-channel conditions, turning space and navigation systems all influence whether larger ships can enter, dock and depart safely. The reported 13.5-metre draft of the CMA CGM THORIUM therefore makes the navigational improvements at VOC Port a central part of the record call.
The cargo figures also show the operational scale of the visit. Import cargo accounted for 1,324 TEUs, while 1,952 TEUs were identified as restow cargo, involving containers moved or repositioned as part of the vessel’s wider voyage. The call is consequently not only a record based on vessel size but also a substantial terminal-handling operation.
For Tuticorin, the development places greater focus on the role of port infrastructure in attracting larger vessels and supporting container movement through southern India. However, the supplied report does not provide details of the specific navigation works, investment value, terminal capacity or future vessel targets. The next reported milestone is the vessel’s departure for Singapore after its scheduled cargo operations are completed.
