Maersk names container giant

The Sine Maersk, A P Moller's 10th 6,600-teu (20 ft equivalent units) container vessel, has been named at the Odense Steel Shipyard where it was built.

'After completion of sea trials, the Sine Maersk will be delivered in June and will enter the Maersk Line service between Europe and Asia,' a Maersk official said.

The ship - the largest of its type - will be operated by a crew of 15, headed by Captain Frode Rasmus Nielsen.

The Sine Maersk will cover more than 170,000 nautical miles a year, equal to 7.5 times round the world - making about 100 port calls yearly.

The vessel has a length of 347 metres, width of 43 metres and height from keel to deck of 24 metres.

The vessel is fitted with 74,640 BHP 12-cylinder Man-B&W diesel main engine to produce a speed of 25 knots. Five auxiliary engines, producing a total 15,600 kilowatts of power, have been fitted.

The Sine Maersk will join the Maersk fleet of more than 120 container vessels with a total capacity of about 270,000 teu.

Separately, Maersk Line is adding a sixth vessel to its East Africa service due to continuing growth in the region.

The rotation for the upgraded, biweekly A-string will be Jebel Ali, Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar, Nacala, Beira, Durban, Dar Es Salaam, Victoria and Jebel Ali. The weekly B-string will call at Jebel Ali, Mombasa, Colombo, Marmagao and Jebel Ali.