World's largest container vessel calls at PTP
Utusan Malaysia
JOHOR BAHRU March 28 - Axel Maersk, the world's largest container vessel with a capacity of 6,600 TEUs, will be making a-once-every-eight-week regular calls at Pelabuhan Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) from Friday.
Vessel captain, Jyrn Holger Pedersen said the ship which was built in January this year and registered in Bagenkop, Denmark was a part of the Asia-East II eastbound service plying the route from PTP to Hong Kong and Shanghai ports.
Pedersen told reporters at PTP Friday that everything was well and on schedule from the moment the ship made its maiden call at PTP at around 9.00 pm last night.
"Everything's fine and on time," he said of the service the vessel received at PTP, South East Asia's fastest growing transhipment hub.
To a question, he said, Axel Maersk would be sailing straight to Hong Kong and Shanghai from here and not making a stop anywhere else.
Axel Maersk, with an overall length of 352 metres and a width of 43 metres, is one of the most modern container vessels in the world, and is five metres longer than the present 347-metre long vessels.
The 10,000 tonnes deadweight vessel with a gross registered tonnage of 93,496 tonnes will load and discharge some 3,000 containers at PTP during the 24 hours call.
The vessel has a maximum draft of 15 metres which PTP can easily cater for in terms of channel accessibility and depth alongside the berths.
PTP offers six berths of 360 metres each in length backed by modern equipment which includes 24 Super Post Panamax quay cranes, 10 of which have a 22-box outreach and are the largest in the region.
To commemorate the maiden voyage of Axel Maersk at PTP, the port's commercial manager, Gan Chee Yee presented Pedersen with a pewter plaque at a brief ceremony at the berth side Friday.
Meanwhile PTP's chief executive officer, Mohd Sidik Shaik Osman said during the berthing of the vessel last night that, "This is a historic moment for PTP to receive the maiden call of Axel Maersk which was only built this year.
"It proves PTP's excellent drive towards the future in catering for the world's largest container vessels," he said.
PTP, launched on March 2000, is strategically located at the southwest shoulder of Johor with a minimum diversion time from the confluence of the main international shipping lanes in the Straits of Malacca.
Its strategic location presents significant geographical advantages through its deep waters, sheltered bay and wide access channel and with these features PTP is able to ensure immediate berthing for vessels reducing waiting time significantly.