With the arrival of larger vessels at the Vizhinjam International Seaport, a local shipping agency is flourishing. By permitting large vessels during trial runs and providing competitive services with staff trained within the fishing community, city-based Waterline Shipping and Logistics Private Limited has emerged as a major player in the industry.
Nearly 800 containers that had been offloaded by a mothership at Vizhinjam Port for delivery to Oman were picked up by Waterline’s feeder ship, Asterios, from Singapore. This achievement is noteworthy because only multinational companies like Maersk, MSC, and Express had previously carried out comparable operations.
In competition with forty-three big ship agency registered at Vizhinjam, the company was able to secure service orders. Interestingly, all 15 of its workers are trained for skilled jobs and hail from the nearby coastal hamlet. In October 2023, Waterline was instrumental in mooring the first ship to berth at the port, the “Zhen Hua 15,” marking the beginning of its activities as a shipping agency. The process of mooring include using tugboats to secure a vessel to the port. The company also handles all associated paperwork, including crew changes, and makes sure that all regulations are followed.
Adani Vizhinjam Port Pvt Ltd and Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd have commended the business for handling Asterios, which the ship’s captain lauded, and for successfully mooring San Fernando, the first mothership to arrive at the port for the trial voyage in July. In addition, Waterline provides provisions and services to two sizable MSC ships through “ship chandling.”
