Fruit in vessel, a lot getting mixed up (9)
I believe the answer is:
cantaloup
'fruit' is the definition.
(cantaloup is a kind of fruit)
'vessel a lot getting mixed up' is the wordplay.
'vessel' becomes 'can' (I've seen this before**).
'getting' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'mixed' indicates anagramming the letters.
'a'+'lot'='alot'
'alot' anagrammed gives 'talo'.
'can'+'talo'+'up'='CANTALOUP'
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for cantaloup that I've seen before include "Fleshy melon" , "fruit" , "Musk-melon" .)