Three ultra-large container ships (ULCS) with capacities of around 13,000 TEU each have set a new throughput record for US port operations after calling at APM Terminals (APMT) Pier 400 Los Angeles between February 22 and March 7, 2015, representing a combined total of more than 34,000 container moves over the period.
The three ULCS to call at the terminal were the 13,100 TEU capacity COSCO Harmony and two MSC ships: the 12,991 TEU capacity MSC Flavia and 13,119 TEU capacity MSC Renee.
The MSC Renee and MSC Flavia both operate as part of the 2M alliance between Mediterranean Shipping and Maersk Line on the Far East/US West Coast trade lane.
Steven Trombley, Managing Director at APMT Pier 400, said “our facility handled the first 13,000 TEU vessel to call the port of Los Angeles last summer, and now with three calling at once we have shown that we are more than able to keep pace with the changes in our industry, and the needs of our shipping line customers.”
APM Terminals Pier 400 is the largest single proprietary terminal in the world.
Throughput at APM Terminals Pier 400 terminal was 2.19 million TEU in 2014, with the facility ranking 2nd in the JOC productivity study Americas designation at 96 moves per hour with a ship alongside.
This result comes at a time when ports along the US West Coast had become severely congested as a result of the port shutdown.