India’s Mundra Port Welcomes First Fully Laden VLCC
In a groundbreaking development for India’s maritime infrastructure, the Adani Mundra Port has successfully berthed its first fully laden Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC). This historic event marks a significant shift in the country’s oil import capabilities and is poised to reshape the global tanker trading landscape. The VLCC, named New Renown, arrived from Hong Kong carrying a full cargo of crude oil, bringing a new era of efficiency to India’s oil supply chain.
Transforming India’s Oil Import Capacity
Traditionally, India’s oil imports involved lightering operations at offshore single-point moorings or unloading at foreign ports before transferring the crude to domestic refineries. The arrival of the New Renown at Mundra Port changes this scenario dramatically. The port’s capabilities now allow for the direct discharge of fully laden VLCCs, thereby significantly enhancing India’s capacity to import crude oil efficiently.
The newly constructed jetty at Mundra spans 400 meters and is equipped to accommodate ships up to 360,000 deadweight tons (dwt). This state-of-the-art facility is connected to Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited’s (HPCL) Rajasthan Refinery through a 489-kilometer pipeline, facilitating a seamless flow of crude oil from the port to the refinery. As one of the world’s largest oil importers, India relies on imports for approximately 85-90% of its crude oil needs, making this advancement crucial for its rapidly growing economy.
In 2025, India was reported to import around 5.1 million barrels of oil per day, positioning it as the third-largest oil importer globally, following the United States and China. The successful berthing of the New Renown not only increases the commercial flexibility for Indian oil imports but also sets a precedent for future maritime operations in the region, potentially altering the dynamics of global oil trade.
