GERMAN container shipping giant Hapag-Lloyd has named its latest vessel, the 10,500-TEU Cartagena Express, now deployed moving reefer cargo from South America to Europe.
Hapag-Lloyd held the naming ceremony for the German-flagged ship with its 2,100 reefer plugs, at the Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries shipyard in Samho, South Korea.
"It is ideally suited for the traffic between Europe and South America west coast," said Hapag-Lloyd chief operating officer Anthony Firmin.
The Cartagena Express is the third ship in the postpanmax series after the Valparaiso Express and the Callao Express and it will rotate through Rotterdam, London, Hamburg, Antwerp, Le Havre, Caucedo, Cartagena, Manzanillo (Panama), Buenaventura, Callao, Puerto Angamos, Valparaiso, Callao, Buenaventura, Manzanillo (Panama), Cartagena, Caucedo and back to Rotterdam.
South America exports fresh and frozen fruit, vegetables, meat and fish. Each ship has a maximum capacity of 123,500 tonnes with a maximum draft of 14 metres.