Arrival of `huge` 8,500-TEU ship amazes downtown Savannah

THE 8,500-TEU CMA CGM Figaro has called at the Port Savannah, becoming the largest ship ever to dock at the port and causing widespread excitement in the city and beyond with adjectives like "huge" and "enormous` being applied in breathless press reports.

The ship, large but not enormous in a world of increasingly common 10,000-13,000 TEU vessels (Emma Maersk at 14,000 TEU is the world`s biggest) caused local commotion because the largest ships to sail past downtown Savannah to the Garden City Terminal six miles upstream have been no bigger than 6,700-TEU.


The Figaro, built for the French shipping line by Samsung Heavy Industries in South Korea and sailing under the French flag, dwarfs the 3,000- to 4,000-TEU ships that typically call on Georgia Ports, reported the Savannah Morning News.


"The arrival of the Figaro is a view into the future of shipping between Asia and the east coast of the US once the new expanded locks on the [Panama] Canal become operational in 2014," said Georgia Ports executive director Curtis Foltz.


"The Figaro comes to us through the Suez Canal but will be restricted in its loading capacity in Savannah from its designed draft of 49.5 feet. It`s a current reminder of why the deepening of our waterways is so critical to economic and job growth for our region."


The ship is currently deployed on a round the world service that includes stops in New York, Norfolk, Seattle and Vancouver.


"The Figaro and other large vessels in our fleet are critical assets in the supply chains of our customers, particularly now as Asia-US trade continues to grow and capacity remains constrained due to the recent economic downturn," said CMA CGM North American vice president Jean-Philippe Thenoz.


"Thanks to its size and equipment, this vessel will meet growing customer demand and ensure cost savings due to economies of scale, while meeting our group`s environmental goals."