Hapag-Lloyd AG christens world's largest box ship
2005-04-25 / Taiwan News, Staff Writer /
She is 335m long and 43m wide and can carry 8,750 containers. The largest containership in the world was named on April 11 in Singapore. The patron of the new Hapag-Lloyd flagship was Christiane Krumnow, wife of the supervisory board chairman of TUI AG, Dr Jurgen Krumnow.
"Global container transport remains a growth market. Today's volume of 71 million standard containers is forecast to grow to almost 91 million by 2008 - an increase of almost 30% or 20 million containers. With our fleet expansion program, we are well equipped to meet the challenges of the future and fully intend to continue to expand our market position," stated Michael Behrendt, chairman of the executive board of Hapag-Lloyd AG, at the naming of "Colombo Express" in Singapore.
The naming ceremony was also attended by the transport minister of the Republic of Singapore, Cheow Tong Yeo, and the executive board chairman of TUI AG and the supervisory board chairman of Hapag-Lloyd AG, Dr Michael Frenzel.
The newbuilding built by Hyundai Heavy Industries in Korea is certainly a ship of superlatives: with a length of 335m and a width of 43m, she is the size of three football fields. She has a capacity of 104,000t and can carry 8,750 standard containers. Lined up end to end, these containers would stretch for 53km. The ship's diesel has an output of 68,640 kw or 93,500 hp and generates sufficient electricity to supply a fairly large small town. The engine provides the vessel with a speed of 25 knots, or about 50 km/h.
Hapag-Lloyd is the first shipping line to use this innovative and environment-friendly marine diesel. These plants more than meet the environmental standards of the IMO (International Maritime Organization). Their electronic injection and valve control systems cut nitrogen emissions by 30 percent. Bunker consumption is reduced by 2 percent.
The newbuilding with Hamburg as home port operates between Europe and Asia, calling at the ports Shanghai, Xiamen, Yantian, Hong Kong, Singapore, Southampton, Hamburg, Rotterdam, Port Klang, Singapore, Hong Kong and again Shanghai. The round voyage time on this route takes 56 days.
Hapag-Lloyd will commission seven more sister ships as well as two slightly smaller units (8,400 slots) up to 2008. This means a capacity increase of overall 86,800 slots (TEUs). Hapag-Lloyd's fleet, today comprising 51 modern containerships with a total capacity of approximately 192,000 TEUs (20-foot equivalent units).