MSC Launch New World’s Largest Containership

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MSC has recently celebrated the christening of MSC Maya, the most recent MSC ‘Oscar class’ supersize containership, on her maiden call at Antwerp.

MSC Maya joins the ranks as the world’s largest containerships at a massive 19,224 TEU, alongside the MSC Oscar/Zoe/Oliver.

The ships are built to exacting engineering standards at Daewoo Shipbuilding and Maritime Engineering (DSME’s) shipyard in South Korea and sail under the Panama flag.

The new ship is named after Maya, the grand-daughter of MSC group Founder and Executive Chairman. Four year old Maya will break the traditional bottle of champagne against the ship at the MSC PSA European Terminal in the Port of Antwerp, in the presence of her mother Elâ Soyuer Aponte and her father Diego Aponte, President and Chief Executive Officer of MSC Group.

Diego Aponte, President and CEO of MSC, said: “Holding the ceremony in Antwerp means a lot to our family because this is where it all started for MSC.

“It was 45 years ago that my father and my mother started MSC with a single conventional ship, the MV Patricia, in Brussels. I believe it is through these kind of moments that we can transmit our passion for the sea to our children, to carry forward what my father has built over the past four decades.”

Marc Beerlandt, Managing Director of MSC Belgium, said: “Today, we are honoured to christen MSC Maya in Antwerp, which is MSC’s most important hub in Northern Europe.

“Our partnership with Antwerp goes back many years. Both MSC and the port of Antwerp play an important role in the local economy. In addition to our container business, MSC also offers our customers a range of dedicated intermodal services connecting Antwerp to major business centres throughout Benelux and to various destinations in Northern Europe.”

MSC Maya and her sister ships are not only the biggest container ships on the seas today, but design make them among the greenest. The Oscar Series ships are equipped with a modern low fuel consumption diesel engine which reduces CO2 emissions.

In terms of structural design, and also for greater operating efficiencies, their double hull structure provides additional strength and resistance for heavy cargo loads.

The container line has also recently announced plans to purchase a 45% stake in Trieste marine terminal in Italy in a bid to capitalise on the EU-based TEN-T network.

Fact File: MSC is a privately owned global shipping company founded in 1970 by Gianluigi Aponte. As one of the world’s leading container shipping lines, MSC operates 480 offices across 150 countries worldwide with over 24,000 employees. With access to an integrated network of road, rail and sea transport resources which stretches across the globe, the company prides itself on delivering global service with local knowledge. MSC’s shipping line sails on more than 200 trade routes, calling at over 315 ports.

Watch a video of the world's largest ship:

(Source: Shipping/Harbors (YouTube))

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