THE third of Mediterranean Shipping Company's (MSC) Oscar class series of 19,224-TEU vessel, the MSC Zoe has been welcomed by a crowd of guests and onlookers as she made her way up the Elbe on her maiden voyage and inaugural call at the port of Hamburg.
The vessel is named after the four-year-old grand-daughter of MSC founder Gianluigi Aponte. His daughter Alexa Aponte Vago, MSC Group's CFO, is married to Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruise.
At 19,224 TEU, it is the largest containership in service, alongside the 19,224-TEU MSC Oscar and 19,224-TEU MSC Oliver that were delivered to MSC earlier in the year, Lloyd's List Containers reported.
But those two have not called at Hamburg, whereas MSC Zoe, deployed within MSC's Swan service, will be a regular visitor. The mega vessel sailed up the Elbe without any problems demonstrated a big boost for the port and city where dredging of the river remains controversial and contentious.
The 199,272-dwt vessel, and built at South Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, the second largest shipbuilder in the world, would not have been able to do that fully laden.
But with a fair amount of cargo discharged in Antwerp before the ship proceeded to Germany, there was never any risk of a brush with the river bed.
The ship's master, Pica Domenico, was full of praise for the latest newcomer to MSC's fleet and the way it handled during its maiden trip from Asia to Europe. "There were no problems at all," he said, adding that ‘the ship is fantastic - she is like a baby, she learns."
PORTS
07 August 2015 - 18:10
Special family christening of MSC Zoe on maiden call on Hamburg
THE third of Mediterranean Shipping Company's (MSC) Oscar class series of 19,224-TEU vessel, the MSC Zoe has been welcomed by a crowd of guests and onlookers as she made her way up the Elbe on her maiden voyage and inaugural call at the port of Hamburg.
PORTS
07 August 2015 - 18:10
Special family christening of MSC Zoe on maiden call on Hamburg
This news 6324 hits received.
These news may also interest you