THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: MV San Fernando, the first container ship that docked at the Vizhinjam International Seaport, will leave for Colombo after unloading the cargo. The ship was to leave the port on Friday night, as per the original schedule.
Sources said that the trial run with the vessel was successful and that the delay was anticipated since it was the first-ever operation at the port. Unloading the cargo was halted during the public function held at the port on Friday. The function attended by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, formally welcomed the maiden ship to the port. The unloading later began in the afternoon. Technical glitches in trailer operations were another reason. It was rectified and the unloading would be completed by Saturday night.
The 300m-long vessel had 2,000 containers of which 1,930 are to be kept at the Vizhinjam port. The rest is to be loaded again as they are meant to be unloaded at the next destinations. The feeder ships that would carry the unloaded consignment will arrive on Sunday. San Fernando which reached Vizhinjam from the Port of Xiamen in China will leave for Colombo.