WORLD’S BIGGEST CONTAINER SHIP (MAERSK MCKINNEY-MOLLER) VISITS BUSAN PORT

World's biggest container ship (Maersk McKinney-Moller) visits Busan Port

The world's largest container vessel has visited Busan Port in South Korea on her first official voyage.

The first of Maersk's Triple E class, Maersk McKinney-Moller is able to load 18,000 6m containers. Built to maximise fuel consumption, the vessel will be deployed on Asia-Europe routes and will process around 90,000 TEU annually at Busan Port. The vessel was due to load 10,000 containers on her visit yesterday.

Maersk McKinney-Moller is 165,000 in gross tonnage, with a capacity of 18,000 TEU, 399m in length, 59m in width, 73m in height and a quarter of a mile in length.

She will reduce Maersk's CO2 emissions by 20% compared to its other vessels and be 35% more fuel efficient.

The port has carried out active marketing strategies toward global shipping companies in order to attract mega sized container vessels by providing exemption for port entry and clearance fees, berth hires, and demurrage for over 10,000t.

Busan Port Authority (BPA) President Ki-tack Lim, said: "Regular calls of the worlds' largest vessel at Busan Port proves the outstanding conditions and service of Busan Port.

"It will have positive effects on establishing Busan Ports status as a hub port for global mega shipping companies."

BPA held extensive events to welcome the ship.

Maersk's second vessel in the Triple-E series – to number 20 in total to operate on a loop between eight ports in Asia and six in Europe when complete – is due to be launched in the next few weeks and scheduled to visit Copenhagen in September.