Damaged OOCL Brussels in troubled waters
Delivery of huge container vessel delayed until April after tail shaft damaged during tests
A massive containership that was meant to be the pride of Orient Overseas Container Line is languishing in a South Korean shipyard facing expensive repairs.
The OOCL Brussels is one of 10 ships, and the first in OOCL logos, ordered by parent Orient Overseas (International) for US$1.36 billion in 2011.
The ship and its sister vessels will be the biggest in the company's fleet, capable of carrying 13,208 20-foot containers.
OOCL and Samsung Heavy Industries went ahead with a lavish dual-christening ceremony for OOCL Brussels and sister vessel NYK Helios on January 18, despite knowing that the delivery of OOCL Brussels would be delayed.
There were more than 80 guests, including Shiu Kuang-si, the president of Taiwan's Mega International Commercial Bank, Chartsiri Sophonpanich, the president of Bangkok Bank, and OOCL chief executive Andrew Tung Lieh-cheung.
The OOCL Brussels is a very complicated piece of machinery and it is now in the final stage of being prepared for delivery
The ship was to have entered service on OOCL's important Asia-Europe trades at the end of last month, but now would not be delivered by Samsung until March 26.