Maersk's Triple-E 18,000-TEU ship makes one-off call at Jebel Ali port

Time:2015-11-25 Browse:64 Author:RISINGSUN
JEBEL Ali, DP World`s flagship container port in the United Arab Emirates, has accommodated its largest containership ever, the Triple E, 18,000-TEU Magleby Maersk, operated by Maersk Line. The ship stayed at the port for 24 hours and departed after cargo operations.

The ship stayed at the port for 24 hours and departed after cargo operations. The ship`s visit was only an inducement call intended to gauge the readiness of Jebel Ali for handling mega-ships of this size. The port has until now accommodated the Danish carrier`s ships of up to 16,000-TEU.

"This was merely an inducement call to cover for an earlier blanked sailing on a different string," managing director for the UAE, Qatar and Oman for Maersk Line, Christian Juul-Nyholm, was quoted as saying in a report by Arabian Supply Chain.com.

"There are currently no plans to change the deployment of our triple Es to include Jebel Ali on a regular basis."

The Magleby Maersk appears to have made good time with cargo operations, despite some alleged concern over the height of the gantry cranes, which were reportedly only just able to work over her five-high stacked containers on deck.

The Triple E vessels are designed to carry containers seven-high on deck. This may prompt Maersk Line to reconsider its exclusive use of Terminal 2 in future at Jebel Ali port, especially once container terminal 4 (T4) comes online from 2017 onwards.

DP World has declined to confirm the height of the ship-to-shore (STS) gantry cranes to be used on Terminal 4.