GELANG PATAH, July 29- Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller, the world’s largest container ship and the first Triple-E class vessel, made its maiden call today at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) here.
The vessel was one of 20 ordered by Maersk Line from South Korea’s Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering following the signing of the US$1.9 billion contract in February 2011.
The Triple-E (EEE — economies of scale, energy efficient and environmentally-improved vessel) has a capacity of 18,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs).
The ship, costing US$190 million, is 400 metres long, 59 metres wide and 73 metres high (in terms of draft). It is deployed on Maersk Line’s AE-10 (Asia-Europe) service.
Maersk Line’s Country Manager for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, Bjarne Foldager, said the company was excited to witness the maiden call of the vessel.
He said an additional four Triple-E vessels will be delivered this year and the remaining ships will be delivered in 2014 and 2015.
“Besides providing economies of scale due to its size, the Triple E vessel is also the most energy efficient ship in the world,” he told a media briefing here Sunday.
He said the ship’s innovative design and technological features will help reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by more than 50 per cent for every container it moved, compared to the industry average on the Asia-Europe trade.
PTP Chief Executive Officer, Glen Hilton, said the call by Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller was good news for the port.
“PTP is equipped to handle the Triple E vessels and is investing in new infrastructure and equipment specifically designed for the new generation of container vessels of 18,000 TEU and beyond,” he said.
On its maiden call at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller loaded 4,800 TEU.
The vessel will will leave PTP at noon time tomorrow for Northern Europe via the Suez Canal, with Rotterdam being the first European port that it calls at.
– BERNAMA
