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Second 9000 TEU container ship in and out Port of Walvis Bay in just two days

Second 9000 TEU container ship in and out Port of Walvis Bay in just two days

The Namibian Ports Authority (Namport) this week received the largest container ship ever to dock in Walvis Bay when the MV Mediterranean Bridge arrived on Tuesday 23 June to discharge and load cargo.

The MV Mediterranean Bridge, operated by the French transport conglomerate CMA CGM, measures 335.63 metres from bow to stern and falls in the mid-sized container vessel category defined as 9000 TEU. A TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) is a standard measure in maritime shipping, equating a vessel’s capacity to the older conventional 20-foot containers. This implies that the MV Mediterranean Bridge can carry about 4500 of the modern 40-foot containers. As a comparison, the largest container vessels currently in operation can carry roughly 10,000 40-foot containers.

The vessel discharged 1781 TEUs and took on board 697 TEUs at the new container terminal in the Port of Walvis Bay. The terminal’s ability to handle a 9000 TEU vessel was first tested in April when the 335-metre Maersk Sheerness called at the port.

The combined 2478 TEUs cargo from and for the MV Mediterranean Bridge set a new record for the port. The process was completed in under 48 hours and by Thursday she departed for her return voyage to Asia. On Friday morning she was already some 40 km south of Walvis Bay passing Sandwich Harbour.

Mr Amando Legner, Managing Director CMA CGM Namibia said this is great progress, adding that he is proud to be a part of this milestone. He thanked the Namport team for making this happen.

The Namport Executive: Commercial, Immanuel !Hanabeb confirmed the importance of this week’s operation, saying that Namport will be targetting container vessels in the 9000 TEU class. “Two successful calls by 9000 TEU vessels at the Port of Walvis Bay within 30 days is an achievement of the compelling vision set by H.E President Geingob, as well as a massive step to achieve one million TEUs as enunciated in the Harambee Prosperity Plan,” he commented.


 

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