Cargo Business Techwire

Friday, June 27, 2014

Top Story

CMA CGM set to launch first in series of 23 box ships

France's shipping giant, CMA CGM, took delivery of the first in a series of 23 ships — ranging from 9,400 TEUs to 10,900 TEUs — that are scheduled to hit the seas through the third quarter of 2016.

The CMA CGM Danube, with a 9,400-TEU capacity, is scheduled to depart on its maiden voyage from China on June 30.

The 9,400-TEU Danube, 300 meters long and 48 meters wide, maximizes loading capacity while meeting the technical constraints needed to negotiate the Strait of the Bosphorus. It also has a capacity of 1,458 reefer plugs 40', which is the largest so far on such a ship,

The Danube will work the Bosphorus Express, a direct service between Asia, Turkey and the Black Sea. The BEX service port rotation is as follows: Dalian, Tianjin, Kwangyang, Busan, Shanghai, Ningbo, Chiwan, Yantian, Tanjung Pelepas, Izmit, Istambul Ambarli, Constanza, Odessa, Ilyichevsk, Port Said, Port Kelang, Singapore, Dalian.

CMA CGM reports the new ship it is equipped with new bulbous bow shapes, improving the hydrodynamics of the vessel at a speed of 16 to18 knots. It also features an electronically controlled long stroke engine with an exhaust gas bypass system offering quality fuel consumption, a twisted rudder with bulb, and a ballast water treatment system.

Sailing under the Malta flag and chartered bareboat to CIMC, it is the first ship of this class built at the Chinese construction site DSIC (Dalian PRC) and delivered to the Group.