The CMA CGM Marco Polo, now the world’s largest containership, arrived in Southampton on Sunday December 9th, 2012 loaded with containers from China, officially marking the completion of the first half of her maiden voyage from the Far East to Europe and back.,
With a 16,020 TEU capacity, the M/V CMA CGM Marco Polo took over the title of world’s largest containership upon her delivery to the French shipping company CMA CGM Group on November 5th, 2012. The UK-flagged behemoth was built by Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering (DSME) in South Korea and measures an astounding 396 meters long by 54 meters wide and has a draft of 16 meters.
Marco Polo is the first of three sister ships to be owned by the CMA CGM Group, which will share the title of world’s largest until Maersk’s 18,000 TEU Triple-E’s are put into service sometime in 2013.
THE SCHEDULE OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS OF MARCO POLO:
The CMA CGM MARCO POLO will call at Ningbo (7 Nov), Shanghai, Xiamen, Hong Kong, Chiwan, Yantian, Port Kelang, Tanger, Southampton (10 Dec), Hamburg (14 Dec), Bremerhaven (14 Dec), Rotterdam (16 Dec), Zeebrugge (17 Dec), Le Havre (19 Dec), Malta (26 Dec), Khor Al Fakkan (5 Jan), Jebel Ali (7 Jan) and Ningbo (23 Jan).
CSS Group is pleased that its cargo will be carried on board of this record breaking voyage which is scheduled to arrive in Jebel Ali, UAE on January 7th, 2013!
More details to follow in the forthcoming issue of Lighthouse, March-April 2013 edition!
INTERESTING FACTS:
- Marco Polo, the new giant of the waves, is five times bigger than an Airbus A380 or the size of four football pitches.
- Can carry more than 16,000 containers on board.
- Vessel is 51 times longer than superliner Queen Mary 2