Visakhapatnam Port Berths First Panamax at Inner Harbour for Alumina
Visakhapatnam Port Authority has berthed a Panamax vessel in its Inner Harbour for the first time to load export alumina. The ship, MV Guan Yuan Ju Xing, came alongside WQ-5 berth on 4 November 2026 at the port in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Visakhapatnam is one of India’s oldest major ports, located on the country’s east coast along the Bay of Bengal.
The vessel is loading about 30,600 tonnes of alumina for National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), the state-owned aluminium producer. According to the port, this is the first time a Panamax-size ship has been berthed at the Inner Harbour for mechanised loading of export alumina.
From the CrewMirror Blog
Panamax ships are large cargo vessels built to the size limits of the original Panama Canal locks, with a beam of about 32 metres. Bringing a ship of this size into an enclosed inner harbour needs careful planning of the approach, close work between pilots and tugs, and safe berth and mooring arrangements. The port says the milestone shows improved vessel handling and better use of its existing berths and equipment.
For India’s east coast trade, the ability to load bigger ships at Inner Harbour berths can help exporters move more cargo per voyage. It also adds to the experience of Indian pilots, tug crews and port staff in handling larger vessels, a skill that matters as Indian ports prepare for growing traffic.
CrewMirror Takeaway
Larger ships in enclosed harbours leave little margin for error. Bridge teams calling at Visakhapatnam’s Inner Harbour can expect close coordination with pilots and tugs, and mooring crews benefit from a clear briefing on the berthing plan before arrival.
