Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Ports Minister V N Vasavan on Saturday said that a ship-to-ship bunkering service has been launched at the Vizhinjam International Seaport, which will help reduce dependence on foreign ports for fueling vessels.

He added that the service will also position the port, which is emerging as India's transshipment hub, to soon become a fueling center for world-class shipping companies, Vasavan said in a Facebook post.

The minister said the bunkering service was inaugurated with Adani Bunkering Company's MT Shaun 1 vessel loading Very Low Sulfur Fuel Oil (VLSFO) onto the MSC Akitata ship anchored at Vizhinjam.

"With the launch of this service at Vizhinjam, dependence on foreign ports for fueling ships can be reduced. Vizhinjam, which is growing as India's transshipment hub, will soon become a fueling center for world-class shipping companies," he wrote in his post. PTI