FRENCH shipping group CMA CGM has taken delivery of the 11,388-TEU CMA CGM Lyra, the last of 12 same-sized vessels ordered in June and September 2006 from South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries.

Alphaliner reports that the newbuilding was finished 10 months ago, but was then mothballed at the yard before being delivery. The ship is expected to be deployed on the Far East-Europe (FAL 3) loop, which will deploy larger capacity than before as the 8,500-9,500 TEU ships used earlier on the service will be switched to 11,300 TEU-sized ships.

The vessel follows the CMA CGM Gemini delivered in May. The FAL 3 rotation is Shenzhen-Chiwan, Guangzhou-Nansha, Shenzhen-Yantian, Le Havre, Dunkirk, Zeebrugge/Antwerp, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Southampton and back to Shenzhen.