Evergreen adds R-class vessel to fleet
EVER Racer, the first of five R-class vessels scheduled to join Evergreen's fleet, has arrived in north Europe from the Far East.
The vessel is the sixth in a series of identical 4,229 TEU (20 ft equivalent units) vessels being built in Japan by Onomichi and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI).
The first five R-class vessels were allocated to Evergreen's principal trans-Pacific service which links Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan with the US west coast.
These ships maintain a fast weekly service, doing a round-trip in 35 days.
The second set of five vessels will enter service between now and the end of August next year.
Ever Reach, the seventh in the series and the last of five being built by Onomich, was launched on August 23 at a ceremony attended by Evergreen Marine Corp president George Hsu.
In June, Evergreen announced that it would follow the R-class vessels with a series of five 4,900 TEU newbuildings to be constructed by MHI.
The first of these is due for delivery in April or May next year.
Eventually, all 10 R-class vessels will operate on Evergreen's west-bound round-the-world service.
